MSSI Celebrates Silver Jubilee

World Multiple Sclerosis Day will be observed on May 26

Hyderabad|India|May'2010: Multiple Sclerosis (MS), a chronic progressive incurable disease of the central nervous system is not so-commonly known disease. The crippling disease onsets in the very young and productive age. Incidence of MS disease in India is 0.5 to 2 per one lakh. The incidence is as high as 25 per one lakh. Nearly 40,000 to 50,000 people are suffering in India and 20 lakh all over the world without any chance of cure in sight. Reasons for this is still not known.

Volunteering to help and make a difference to MS Persons are few city women -- Ms. MEENA GUPTA, Ms. RENU SWARUP, Ms. SHUBHA AGARWAL, Ms. VINODINI AGARWAL office bearers of Hyderabad Chapter of Multiple Sclerosis Society of India (MSSI) and their members.

The Hyderabad Chapter was founded by Mrs. Bipasha Gupta (Presently Hon. Vice President of the All India Governing Council in July ’05,) With the help of four motivated and active local Founder Members Mrs.Meena Gupta (MS Family), Mrs. Renu Swarup (Social Worker), Mrs. Shilpa Sanghani (Social Worker) and Mrs. Vinodini Agarwal (MS Family) established the Hyderabad Chapter. And these five were the first Office Bearers of this Chapter. The Society was inaugurated on 4th Sept. 2005 by Dr. S.V. Khadilkar, an eminent Neurologist from Bombay Hospital-Mumbai.

Mrs. Meena Gupta, Honorary Chairperson of the Chapter is a graduate of science, practices alternate therapy - SU JOK Acupressure on a regular basis. She was also the Joint Secretary of Confederation of Women Entrepreneurs (COWE) - an organization to help women entrepreneurs to set up their own business. She is the Founder Chairperson of Hyderabad Chapter and is very active and a serious worker. Her effort has taken MSSI Hyderabad into prominence in Andhra Pradesh through various activities.

Mrs. Renu Swarup is a Honorary Vice Chairperson of the Chapter. She has done her Masters in English. She is the Founder member and Past President - Utkarsh; Coordinator and Past President - Sanskruti; Past President - Ladies Circle , Hyderabad Chapter; Past Vice President - FICCI Ladies Organization. She has created considerable awareness through media and helps the chapter to raise funds through diverse activities.

Mrs. Shubha Agarwal, the Secretary of the Chapter is an arts graduate. She helps in counseling the MS persons and is a very keen and dedicated volunteer. She is a committee member of COWE (Confederation of Women Entrepreneurs), she practices SuJok Acupressure - an alternative therapy.

Ms. Vinodini Agarwal, Honorary Treasurer joined the society because of her devotion towards the cause. She is a science graduate. She is a life member of COWE (Confederation of Women Entrepreneurs), and a life member of ALEAP, a women's organization.

The Members began by visiting Neurologists in various hospitals to help create awareness. Immense support was provided by doctors and hospitals. They began with just about 6 MS persons and today they have 70 MS Persons as regular members. MSSI Hyderabad donated a walker to MS Patient Mrs. Swaroopa Rani. Various articles were written in the local newspapers. They organised Health Checkup Camps, Yoga Classes, 10K Runs, Art Auction for the cause of MS Patients.

We also provide walkers, air beds, medicines etc. to the patients. We have an Annual Health Check for the patients.' 'We also arrange free Physiotherapist for MSPs at home', informed Mrs. Renu Swarup.

MSSI Hyderabad holds regular meetings on the second Sunday of every month. Doctors and speakers from different spheres are invited so that the MSP's can benefit and cope up with the day-to-day problems. They organise free Yoga training to Home bound MSPs. They also arrange Free Physiotherapist for MSPs at Home.

Many more activities were taken up to help MS Persons to live with the problem and offer them hope which has gone long way in helping them lead a comfortable life.

Mostly MS persons have difficulty of walking by themselves. And some of them are home bound. To help them further on the occasion of the 2nd World MS Day (WMSD) 2010 to be celebrated on 26th May 2010, the focus is going to be employment informed Ms. Meena Gupta, Honorary Chairman of Hyderabad Chapter of Multiple Sclerosis Society of India. The 2nd World MS Day will be celebrated at the CITY CENTRE MALL, Banjara Hills from 5:00 p.m. - 8:00 p.m. It is open for all.

Everyone please come and support the cause wholeheartedly, added Ms. Meena Gupta.

Interacting with media along with other members of the Hyderabad Chapter of the Society they informed that their Chapter is setting up a MS Clinic in city and is also planning to set up satellite centres across the state of Andhra Pradesh.

It is also the Silver Jubilee year for MSSI. Registered as a voluntary and non-profit organization it was established on 26th July 1985. MSSI works for the welfare of persons affected by Multiple Sclerosis. Multiple Sclerosis Society of India was established by founder members Mrs. Rehmut S. Fazalbhoy and Mr. A. H.Tobaccowala, former Chairman, Voltas India. Mrs. Rehmut Fazalbhoy was a renowned Social Worker and a recipient of the Jamnalal Bajaj Award. She is now passed away. The Society is a member of the Multiple Sclerosis International Federation - MSIF based in London , UK . MSSI works in cooperation with 48 other member countries of MSIF, thereby working in collaboration with similar organization all over the world. Today it has 9 Chapter across India . These are located at Bengaluru, Calicut , Chennai, Delhi , Hyderabad , Kolkata, Mangalore, Mumbai and Pune.

The objective of our activities are to rehabilitate, help MS Patients, propagate the cause and enlighten the public.