Regional News

For information on events and support groups, please call the phone numbers listed. When specific numbers are not given, please contact the MSAA Regional Office appearing below each listing. Established support groups are held in many other cities; please call the nearest MSAA Regional Office for details. All activities are free of charge unless otherwise noted. Times listed are in the local time zone for the region or location of the event.

For more information on all events, please visit MSAA's regional calendar of events at www.msaa.com.

Northeast Region

Upcoming Events:

• Sunday, March 26th, "CHUMS Program: Children's Hope for Understanding Multiple Sclerosis," a program for children and families managing MS, Wachovia Spectrum, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania; registration starts at 11:30 am, CHUMS program begins at 12:00 noon and runs through 3:30 pm; following the program, be our guest to attend the Philadelphia Phantoms vs. Portland Pirates hockey game; to register or for more information, please contact the Northeast Regional Office.
• April 2006, "Meeting the Challenges and Paving the Path - A Roundtable Discussion with Dr. Robert Shinn," to be held in the eastern Maryland area, sponsored by Teva Neuroscience; to register or for more information, please contact the Northeast Regional Office.
• Saturday, May 13th, "Essence of Fashion and Expression, Looking Your Best with MS," a fashion show and makeover workshop; Boston Marriott Copley, Boston, Massachusetts, 10:30 am to 3:30 pm; to register or for more information, please contact the Northeast Regional Office.

Support Groups Coming Soon:

• Coventry, Rhode Island
• Levittown, Pennsylvania
• West Grove, Pennsylvania

MSAA Northeast Regional Office:

Helene Hoffman, Client Services Coordinator 706 Haddonfield Road Cherry Hill, New Jersey 08002 (856) 488-4500, ext. 149 (800) 532-7667, ext. 149 Email: northeast@msaa.com

Southeast Region

Upcoming Events:

• Saturday, February 25th, "Ask the Doctors: An MS Panel of Experts," Country Inn & Suites, Gainesville, Florida (just off Rt. 75, Archer Road, exit 384). Scheduled speakers include: Dr. Chester Algood, a urologist who will discuss bladder symptoms and management; Dr. M. Tariq Bhatti, a neuro-ophthalmologist who will review vision problems associated with MS and how to best treat them; and Dr. Sherill Loring, a neurologist who will discuss other common symptoms of MS and treatment plans; please contact the Southeast Regional Office to register.
• Saturday, May 27th, "Educational Program plus MSAA Cooling Apparel Demonstration and Talk," Birmingham, Alabama; for further details please contact the Southeast Regional Office.

Newly Formed Support Groups:

• North Fort Walton Beach, Florida; contact Shirley Hibarger (850) 651-9454
• Pensacola, Florida; contact Shirley Hibarger (850) 651-9454

MSAA Southeast Regional Office:

Linda Chaney, Director
Brenda Preston, Client Services Coordinator
PO Box 66565
St. Petersburg, Florida 33736
(800) 532-7667, ext. 154
Email: southeast@msaa.com

Midwest Region

Upcoming Events:

• Wednesday, March 15th, "MS Educational Event," Holiday Inn Elyria, Elyria, Ohio; program begins at 6:00 pm; contact the Midwest Regional Office (ext. 140), for more information.
• Wednesday, April 1st, MSAA will sponsor a presentation by Dr. Gareth Parry in the Minneapolis, Minnesota area. For more information please contact the Midwest Regional Office (ext. 140).
• Saturday, April 22nd, "Current Research and Our New Understanding of MS," Clay Center, Charleston, West Virginia; speaker will be MSAA Vice President & Chief Medical Officer Dr. Jack Burks; registration is at 9:30 am; program begins at 10:00 am; a continental breakfast and lunch will be served; to register or for more information, please contact the Midwest Regional Office (event line ext. 121).
• Saturday, April 29th, "MS: Current Developments in Diagnosis & Management," Hulman River House, Indianapolis Zoo, Indianapolis, Indiana; guest speakers are Dr. Robert J. Alonso and Dr. David H. Mattson; program begins at 10:00 am; free admission to the zoo after the program; lunch will be served; to register or for more information please contact the Midwest Regional Office (event line ext. 121).
• Saturday, May 20th, "MS Awareness Fair," Crown Plaza, Springfield, Illinois. Program begins at 9:00 am; speakers are MSAA Vice President & Chief Medical Officer Dr. Jack Burks, who will talk about current research and our new understanding of MS, and Dr. David A. Gelber, who will talk about managing MS symptoms; to register please contact the Midwest Regional Office (event line ext. 121).
• Saturday, July 8th, "MSAA Day at the Zoo," Columbus Zoo, Powell, Ohio; for more information please contact the Midwest Regional Office (ext. 140).
• Saturday, August 12th, "MSAA Day at the Zoo," Cleveland, Ohio; for more information please contact the Midwest Regional Office (ext. 140).

Newly Formed Support Groups:

• Ashland, Ohio; contact Lori Hartsel at (419) 289-0626
• Belpre, Kentucky; contact Susan Courtney at (304) 235-8674
• Green Bay, Wisconsin; contact Diane Williams at (920) 337-9805
• Livonia, Michigan; contact Karolyn Davis at (734) 459-9715
• Minneapolis, Minnesota; contact Denise Wax at (612) 626-2675
• Muskegon Heights, Michigan; contact Kim Evans at (231) 733-8285
• North Olmsted, Ohio; contact Richard McKenna at (440) 427-0050

Support Groups Coming Soon:

• Fort Wayne, Indiana
• Griffith, Indiana
• Midland, Michigan

MSAA Midwest Regional Office:

Renée Williams, Director
13938A Cedar Road, #243 University Heights, Ohio 44118 (216) 320-1838
(800) 532-7667, ext. 140
Email: midwest@msaa.com

South-Central Region

Upcoming Events:

Please check the South-Central Regional Events Calendar at www.msaa.com for future events and classes.

Newly Formed Support Groups:

• Denver, Colorado; contact Barbara Roehrig at (303) 377-5050
• Fort Gibson, Oklahoma; contact Lisa or Robert Teeter at (918) 478-9914
• Hot Springs Village, Arkansas; contact Margaret Dickerson at (501) 922-4233
• Nashville, Tennessee; contact David Graham at (615) 868-4997
• North Little Rock, Arkansas; contact Jennifer May at (501) 551-1846
• Stillwell, Oklahoma; contact Emogene Simon at (918) 696-2244

Support Groups Coming Soon:

• Beaumont, Texas
• Fayetteville, Arkansas
• Fort Gibson, Oklahoma
• Hot Springs Village, Arkansas
• Nashville, Tennessee
• North Little Rock, Arkansas
• Stillwell, Oklahoma

MSAA Arkansas Field Office:

Judith Bennie, Client Services Coordinator 107 Avonshire Terrace
Hot Springs, Arkansas 71913
(501) 262-9380
(800) 532-7667, ext. 137

Northwest Region

Upcoming Events:

• March 2006, "MS Update," Cheyenne, Wyoming; date, location, and speaker to be determined; please contact the Northwest Regional Office for more information.
• Tuesday, May 9th, "Multiple Sclerosis: From Diagnosis to Treatment," Gillette, Wyoming. Speaker: Thomas Mayer, MD, of Sheridan Neurology, Sheridan, Wyoming. Location and time to be determined; please contact the Northwest Regional Office for more information.

Newly Formed Support Groups:

• Hettinger, North Dakota; contact Sylvia Weishaar at (605) 866-4463

Support Groups Coming Soon:

• Butte, Montana
• Jamestown, North Dakota
• Kamiah, Idaho

MSAA Northwest Regional Office:

Sue Pencoske, Director
600 Central Plaza, Suite #13
Great Falls, Montana 59401
(406) 454-2758
(800) 532-7667, ext. 131
Email: northwest@msaa.com

Western Region

Newly Formed Support Groups:

• Eugene, Orgeon; contact Leanna Bennett at (541) 686-3575
• Florence, Arizona; contact Gaile Buckley at (520) 868-0450
• Las Vegas, Nevada; contact Gina McIver at (702) 269-4406
• Portland, Oregon; contact Jeff Fortner at (503) 245-2997
• San Francisco, California; contact Clare Miramontes at (415) 462-6519
• Toluca Lake, California; contact Deborah Stussman at (323) 769-4925
• Tujunga, California; contact Donna Hampton Reeves at (818) 352-0848

Support Groups Coming Soon:

• Hawaii

Other Notes:

The Western Regional Office is hoping to start support groups soon in the following cities: Los Angeles and San Diego, California, as well as Tucson and Phoenix, Arizona (both Spanish and English-speaking support groups). If you are interested in joining a support group in any of these areas, or starting a support group in your area, please contact Amanda Montague, western regional director, at the Western Regional Office.

MSAA Western Regional Office:

Amanda Montague, Director
1819 Polk Street, Mailbox #326
San Francisco, California 94109
(415) 260-6420
(800) 532-7667, ext. 155
Email: western@msaa.com

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