Rotarians
can help find a cure for MS:
Vision:
·
Rotary
Can help find a cure for MS:
-
Help establish the status of MS research internationally
-
Collaborate with MS Societies, MS Investigators, Pharmaceutical
companies and governments to determine the best path forward to help
find a cure for MS.
·
Expand
MS Awareness within Rotary in Australia
-
Formation of MS committees in all districts nationally.
-
Promote MS as the next major rotary national project
·
Create
opportunities to involve more rotary clubs:
-
MS projects can involve partnering, vocation specific
exchanges, international, community and fellowship avenues of service.
·
Internationally
-
Establish link between Rotary Clubs and MS Societies which
exist in 38 countries
-
Facilitate MS Awareness project exhibition booth at next RI
world conventions at Barcelona, Spain and Brisbane, Australia.
History:
The
Multiple Sclerosis Awareness project was started by the Rotary club of
Gisborne Victoria, Australia 3 years ago and is now an approved
District 9800 project.
-
Multiple
Sclerosis Society of Victoria.
Other
clubs have helped to complete video, vocation exchanges, etc refer
achievements.
Achievements:
-
Formed
district 9800 MS Committee 1997.
-
Brainstormed
how Rotary could help people with MS.
-
Identified
and implemented 7 ways to help.
-
Produced
two MS Awareness videos
-
Completed
pilot Vocation Specific Exchange between MS Societies of Victoria
Australia and Buenos Aires, Argentina.
-
RC
of Wyndham sent container of mobility aids to MS Society of Buenos
Aires.
-
Established
link between RC of Gisborne in District 9800 Australia, RC
of Manukau in District 9920, New Zealand, RC of Rafaela in District
4830 Argentina.
-
Partnered
with RC of Manakau, NZ to facilitate vocation exchange between MSV and
MS Society Auckland, NZ.
-
Contributed
to meeting with MS investigators November 24, 2000 at Walter Eliza
Hall Institute of Research. On progress in MS Research. The session was devoted to "MS research into
the new millennium: fostering collaborative interactions" This may
pave the way to a "think tank" in the future.
-
Promoted
MS Awareness at 2000 RI
convention in Buenos Aires and 2001 convention in San Antonio.
-
Rotary
Clubs globally expressed interest to become involved eg, Argentina,
USA, Hong Kong, Brazil, Canada, Germany etc (200 contacts to follow up).
-
Raised
$A77,000 (Rotary Club of MS account to date).
How
will it work:
Rotary
has a structure that can be simply described as three levels: Club;
District; and International. The MS Awareness project envisages the
involvement of Rotary at all these levels. Rotary is structured in
such a way that the things that interest all of these levels is
basically the same, the difference is only one of scale.
We as Rotarians wish to help people with MS as best we can
given the opportunities available to us. The effects and challenges
that a person diagnosed with this disease can not be exaggerated and
are difficult for even the most sympathetic person to imagine.
We want to help find a cure for this disease and then
distribute that cure throughout the world. A lot is known about this
degenerative nerve disorder but a lot remains a mystery. What causes
it? Why are there so many different forms of MS, effecting each person
differently? Finding a cure will not only be confined within the walls
of a laboratory but will also be in the hands of the people who know
and care for someone with MS.
Members of local clubs are actively involved in the search for
a cure and also creating an infrastructure for people with other
disabilities when they help someone with MS.
Local Clubs have helped people set up computers with Internet
access so they can work from home.
Clubs have helped renovate homes to make them accessible to
those who have become disabled. Clubs have set up various fund-raising
activities such as raffles and charity gala balls. Videos on MS
awareness have been produced by clubs. It is worth remembering that
there are many Rotarians with MS, or have family and friends with MS.
On a District level committees can be set up that have links
with the MS Society within that District and can help conceive of
projects that can be launched within that District. An example is the
longitudinal study seed funded by the District 9800 MS
Awareness Committee.
Internationally
Rotary can facilitate a global audit. This will bring together the
many different aspects of MS research.
