MULTIPLE
SCLEROSIS -- CRIPPLES YOUNG ADULTS; HELP US FIGHT IT !
What
is MS and MSSI ?
Multiple
Sclerosis is a disease of the Central Nervous System, affecting
its functioning unexpectedly and repeatedly, resulting in
devastating disabilities in young adults in the prime of
their lives. MS has various symptoms ranging from minor
visual disturbances to total paralysis, due to which simplest
everyday tasks can no longer be efficiently performed. It
is a mysterious crippler disease of the young adults. But
it is not a contagious or hereditary. A few years ago Multiple
Sclerosis was thought to be rare in India but with modern
techniques like MRI scan etc now more cases are diagnosed
than earlier.
Since
the inception of Multiple Sclerosis Society of India on
July 26, 1985, the Society has played an active role in
the field of welfare for persons suffering from Multiple
Sclerosis. The Society is servicing nearly 1000 patients
all over India through the Head Office in Mumbai and branches
at Ahmedabad, Bangalore, Calcutta, Calicut, Chennai, Delhi,
Mumbai, and Pune. The MS Society of India is affiliated
to the Multiple Sclerosis International Federation , U.K.
MSSI
SERVICES :
Identification
of MS patients and initial help:
The
Services includes identifying Multiple Sclerosis cases by
visiting hospitals and Neurologists. Due to this effort
the hospitals and doctors contact the MS Society for financial
help for MRI Scans and hospitalization expenses for the
needy patients. After giving the initial help the Society
regularly follows up and helps the patients by offering
them various services available. The Society sends their
Social Workers who counsels and helps the newly diagnosed
patients and their family members to come out of their initial
trauma and accept the disease.
Free
Supplementary medicines
These medicines
are supplied to needy patients at monthly Diet Workshops.
Several Pharmaceutical companies donate some of these medicines
i.e Becosule,
Evion,
Neurobin Forte, Celin, Sirdalud etc.
Physio/Occupational
Therapy
The
aim of MSSI is that each MS patient should lead as full
a life as possible. Physio/Occupational Therapy is adjunct
to medical treatment. Exercises and activities reduce symptoms
and after effects of the bouts of attacks. Therefore the
Society provides Physio/Occupational therapy thrice a week
by sending their therapists to all the homebound patients.
The role of the therapist is to give therapy to the patient
for one hour and counsel them if needed.
The
Society also provides Wheelchairs, Walkers, Canes, Waterbeds
and various other Physiotherapy equipments and incontinence
products.
Disability
Certificates :
Disabled
persons are entitled to various benefits like income tax
rebates, concessions for train and air travel etc. To get
these benefits they are provided with Disability Certificate
which is issued only by selected Govt. Hospitals all over
India. In Mumbai the procurement of this certificate used
to be quite tedious and time consuming. The Society requested
the Medical Director of authorized Hospital to issue these
most essential certificates at the Society’s Free Medical
Camp which is held in Mumbai every year. For those who are
unable to attend the Camp, the MSSI staff arranges to get
these certificates from the government hospital with minimum
stress and fatigue to the patients.
Rehabilitation
:
The
employed Multiple Sclerosis patients in India find it difficult
to convince their employers about the complexities of Multiple
Sclerosis as a disease, and their unusual fatigue problem.
Therefore they tend to lose their jobs with the advent of
the disease. In this matter the MSSI tries hard to convince
the employers. The Society also helps patients who have
lost their jobs by trying to establish a new way to gain
income, by providing computers, sewing machines etc. and
also by acquiring telephone booths in public places which
patients or their family members can run, to make them economically
independent.
Workshops
and Seminars and
Free Camps :
The
Society organizes various workshops for the benefit of the
patients. Physiotherapy workshops are organized to guide
the therapists about special exercises useful to manage
MS. Occasionally yoga workshops are held. Renowned doctors
also conduct medical Seminars from time to time to guide
patients and their families to cope up with the disease
by answering their queries.
Free
Annual Medical Camp
The
Annual Free Medical camps organized by the Society deal
with full medical checkups and examinations of MS persons
under one roof by distinguished doctors from various faculties.
This Camp is very popular amongst MS families.
Home
Visits :
Volunteers,
Office bearers, and social workers maintain regular contact
with the patients by telephone or by home visits. All patients
and their family members look forward for these visits.
Fundraising
:
All
these services require constant flow of funds. From time
to time we organize different fundraising projects. The
Society raises funds through various fundraising programmes.
It also approaches the Corporate Sectors and individuals.
All Donations are exempted under 80G of the Income Tax Act
of 1961 and Foreign Contribution Regulation Act (FCRA).
Our
Sincere Appeal To :
a) MS Patients
: To become a member of the Society, free of charge
if needed and to avail all the above facilities.
b) Doctors
& Hospitals : To inform MS patients under your treatment
about the MS Society and its Services. Also to refer MS
cases to the Society for National Data Collection.
c) General
Public : To volunteer your free time and resources to
help these patients which will bring a little sunshine in
their lives.
To
get more information contact :
Mrs. Sheela
M. Chitnis
Multiple Sclerosis Society of India
Samata Sadan, 2nd Floor,
S.H. Paralkar Road, Shivaji Park
Dadar, Mumbai 400 028
Phone: 444 2067
E-Mail : mssindia@bom8.vsnl.net.in
