MS Foundation sets fundraiser, guest speaker
(CNS Local Life): The MS Foundation of the Cayman Islands will be holding its third annual “Pretty on the Outside” fundraiser Saturday, 16 March, featuring guest speaker international blogger Ardra Shephard, who has chronicled her life dealing with multiple sclerosis. The event will take place at the National Gallery of the Cayman Islands, starting at 6pm.
The MS Foundation was established by Alyssa Christian in 2016, after she was diagnosed with multiple sclerosis the previous year. She became aware of the large community of MS patients in Cayman and knew something needed to be done, stated a press release from the foundation.
“Support is crucial, both financially and emotionally, to not only MS patients but to their families as well,” Christian said. “The MS Foundation is committed to not only providing the support needed to patients, but to spreading awareness about the disease. Currently, there is no cure for MS. It is a lifelong disease. We hope one day for a cure, but until then, we will remain MS strong and continue to support our local community of patients and their families.”
Shephard, who is Canadian, is the blogger behind the award-winning “Tripping on Air”, an irreverent insider scoop about her life with multiple sclerosis, the release said. She was named one of the top MS bloggers “in the universe” by feedspot.com and one of HealthLine’s top MS bloggers of 2019. With an international reach and reputation, Shepard “is a leader in the MS community; she is on a mission to change minds about what it means to live with a serious illness, to have disability positively reflected as part of a diverse society, and to empower those with chronic illness to stake their place in the world”, stated the press release.
The event will also feature the premiere of the short film Invisible, produced by the MS Foundation in partnership with local videographer Jason Kennedy, in honour of MS Awareness Month this March. The goal of the film is to raise awareness of the fact that while the symptoms of this chronic illness may be invisible, MS patients most certainly are not.
“Most of the time you would not know that a person has MS just by looking at them,” Christian said. “MS is known as an invisible disease. Although many patients look ‘good’ on the outside, the inside of their body is a disaster and can feel like a battlefield.”
All proceeds from the event, and associated 50/50 raffle, will benefit the MS Foundation of the Cayman Islands and support its mission to help local patients gain access to vital medical care and wellness support.
Tickets, at $100 per person, can be purchased online at EventPro and include a welcome cocktail, campaign T-shirt and a selection of bites from local restaurant vendors. The 50/50 raffle tickets can also be purchased online.
For more information on the MS Foundation of the Cayman Islands, go to its Facebook page or email info@msfcayman.com
Category: Medical and Health
