WINTER 2012 PROGRAMS & SERVICES IN YOUR COMMUNITY

NEW COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT MANAGER My name is Tara Reed. I am your new Community Development Manager for the South Bay Region (Counties of Santa Clara, Santa Cruz, Monterey and San Benito). As your community development manager, I create programs for those living with MS, as well as manage Walk MS in Monterey. I have a strong background in mental health, event planning and recreation. I enjoy crafting, being outdoors and spending time with my dog, Kona. My passion is helping people and I am thankful to be here to support you in any way I can. I am excited to be a part of the National MS Society and I look forward to meeting you soon. Feel free to contact me with questions and concerns or to register for a program or Walk MS 2013 at 408-988-7577 extension 74102 or at tara.reed@nmss.org.

LOCAL PROGRAMS

Newly Diagnosed Orientation – Santa ClaraFebruary 4th, 6:30 p.m. - 8:30 p.m. Santa Clara Office2589 Scott Blvd., Santa Clara, CA 95050 Are you newly diagnosed with MS? A diagnosis of MS can create many unexpected emotions that leave you with a strong need to understand the changes you may be facing. This informative program is conducted quarterly by the Greater Bay Area Community Development Manager, Tara Reed, and a Registered Nurse certified in MS. You and your guests will have an opportunity to address your most common concerns and ask questions about MS. For questions, please contact Tara Reed at 408-988-7587 x74102 or tara.reed@nmss.org

Living Well with MS: Moving Forward after an MS Diagnosis12 Thursdays starting March 21sr

6:00 p.m. - 8:00 p.m.

Accessible Fitness, Santa Clara, CA &Santa Clara Office, 2589 Scott Blvd. A life interrupted doesn’t need to be a life deferred. Discover what you can do to positively impact your health and well-being. Living Well with MS is an extraordinary program designed to help those newly diagnosed better understand MS and develop lifestyle strategies that can help diminish the

PROGRAMS & SERVICES WINTER 201208effects of the disease. In just 12 weeks you will gain the tools and knowledge you need to build your personal plan for living well with MS. A team of highly skilled medical, fitness, nutrition and behavioral health specialists in MS will help you:• Develop a comprehensive personal fitness

and nutrition plan• Understand and better manage MS

symptoms• Develop positive emotional and spiritual

health practices to use across your lifetime• Increase your ability to cope with the

diagnosis and unpredictability of MS• Meet others living with MS in a setting of

shared support Experience the online and in-person combination this course has to offer. Online you will meet all of your classmates and access up-to-date and current information in a user-friendly, highly interactive classroom. In person you will meet fellow participants in Santa Clara at Accessible Fitness each week for the fitness component of the course. The course is offered online with a weekly in-person meeting for the fitness component. Both the online and in-person components of this program are required and therefore cannot be taken separately. Living Well participants must be able to walk unassisted and have internet access. The registration deadline is February 19, 2013. Contact Tara Reed at 408.988.7587 x74102 or by e-mail at tara.reed@nmss.org.

Social Activity – Monterey, CAFebruary 2013, date and activity TBD Call Tara Reed at 408.988.7587 x74102 or by e-mail at tara.reed@nmss.org for any questions.

REGIONAL TELECONFERENCES Join us from the comfort of your own home for these informative conference calls on living with MS. These educational programs are free and made available through chapters in the West Region of the National MS Society. To register for these teleconferences, please call 1-800-344-4867 and press 1.

“Complementary and Alternative Medicine and MS”Februrary 7th, 6:30 p.m. - 7:30 p.m.

In the US today approximately 75% of people with MS use one form or another of Complementary and Alternative Medicine (CAM), generally in combination with their prescribed MS treatments. Dr. Allen Bowling will discuss some of the options and lifestyle choices to consider when looking at CAM.

“Important Decisions about Employment Benefits when Living with MS”April 4th, 6:30 p.m. - 7:30 p.m. Join us for an informative discussion on the impact of employment on public and private benefit systems. Joe Entwisle, MS, CLCP,

REGISTER AT NATIONALMSSOCIETY.ORG/CAN | 1-800-344-4867 09is a Senior Policy Analyst for the National Consortium for Health Systems Development and provides training and consultation across the country on issues related to employment for people with disabilities.

WHAT’S HAPPENING IN NORTHERN CALIFORNIA

CENTRAL VALLEY• Water Therapy Program: Tuesdays and

Thursdays beginning January 16th

• Town Hall Meeting: January 5th

• Newly Diagnosed Orientation: February 5th

• CogniFitness - Keeping the Mind Moving: March 13, 20 & 27

GREATER BAY AREA• Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction:

Thursdays, January 10th - February 28th

• Balanced Living - Free Six-week Wellness Coaching Group: Beginning March 13th

• Newly Diagnosed Program: February 6th

GREATER SACRAMENTO• Free from Falls: TBD• MS Awareness Night at the Kings: March

8th

• Newly Diagnosed Orientation- Greater Sacramento: February 7th

• Adaptive Strategies for Memory and Cognitive Challenges in MS: January 8th

• Options and Managing MS Treatment:

February 4th

NORTH BAY AREA• Tasting Sonoma: March 19th

• Lagunitas Brews and Blues Against MS: April 9th

• Managing Fatigue in MS: February 9th

• Fighting MS Step by Step: January 12th

• Santa Rosa: Relationship Matters - 8-Hours to a Lifetime of Relationship Satisfaction February 2nd and 3rd

• Newly Diagnosed Orientation: February 6th

SAVE THE DATE FOR2013 REGIONAL TELECONFERENCES

June 6, 2013 “Sleep Management”

August 1, 2013 “Intimacy and Family Planning”

Registration coming soon…

MS CONNECTION: WINTER 201210

SELF-HELP GROUPS MONTEREY• Monterey

Veronica: 831-869-1684

SAN BENITO COUNTY• Hollister Group

Joann and Andrew: 831-630-0266

SANTA CLARA COUNTY• Milpitas

Phyllis: 408-509-8137• Morgan Hill: Friends, Family, and

CaregiversNancy: 408-466-8688 Marsha: 408-655-3178

• Palo Alto George: 650-281-7646 Kathy: 408-921-9888

• San Jose Marie: 510-520-7276

• Santa Clara Susan: 408-253-4489

SANTA CRUZ COUNTY• Capitola

Estefana: 831-406-9127 Ada: 831-440-1211

RELATIONSHIP MATTERS8-Hours to a Lifetime of Relationship Satisfaction February 2nd and 3rd

Santa Rosa Having a healthy relationship is hard work even in the best of times. MS can make it even harder. When you know how to take charge as a couple, MS doesn’t have to rule your relationship. This program can help you strengthen your partnership and minimize the impact of MS on your life. The workshop is open to any couple in a committed relationship, regardless of marital status. Through interactive group activities, you’ll learn and apply skills to deal with common relationship challenges. Program fee includes the 8-hour Relationship Matters program, overnight stay and meals per couple. Pre-register at 1-800-344-4867 or sign up online at http://can.nationalmssociety.org by January 18, 2013.