Oct 30: Casino Night to Benefit Multiple Sclerosis Society’s Physical Therapy Scholarship at UNC (Raleigh)
Start Date: 10-30-2009 :
Raleigh, NC - Roll the dice and celebrate Halloween in black tie while raising money for the Physical Therapy MS Scholarship Fund at UNC Chapel Hill. The Eastern North Carolina Chapter of the National Multiple Sclerosis Society has teamed up with the UNC-Chapel Hill Division of Physical Therapy to establish the Physical Therapy MS Curriculum and Scholarship Fund.
This groundbreaking collaboration between the National MS Society and the Physical Therapy faculty at UNC-Chapel Hill has led to a curriculum track in the doctorate program geared specifically to address the challenges of people living with multiple sclerosis or MS, a chronic, often disabling disease that attacks the central nervous system. Symptoms range from numbness in the limbs to paralysis or loss of vision. MS is unpredictable and varies from one person to another. Today, new treatments and advances in research are giving new hope to people affected by the disease.
Chuck Willingham, Chair of the Physical Therapy Scholarship Team and MS patient, has lived with the disease for more than a decade. He describes how important it is to have physical therapists who are experienced and knowledgeable about his condition. “Physical therapy helps me in my day to day living so that my disease can hopefully be kept at bay and my abilities don’t worsen with time,” says Willingham.
Two doctoral candidates in the unique program already are benefitting from the scholarships. “Having a specialized focus in working with people with Multiple Sclerosis allows me to serve the population with a level of knowledge, understanding and compassion that a traditional physical therapist may not have. MS is such a unique, individualized and complex disease that any deeper study and hands on experience with the population can only benefit my future patients,” remarked Melissa Mahon, Doctor of Physical Therapy Candidate at UNC-Chapel Hill.
“I have a passion for working with people with neurological dysfunction because physical therapy can truly help people regain physical abilities and improve quality of life. I am focusing in this area so that I will be able to educate and empower people with MS to become more active and hopeful in their future by improving their access to necessary resources and increasing their participation in physical activities. There is a growing need in North Carolina for physical therapists who truly understand the physiology, mobility difficulties, and functional limitations associated with multiple sclerosis, and I hope to help fulfill that need during my career in physical therapy,” says Erica Byrne, Doctor of Physical Therapy Candidate at UNC-Chapel Hill.
In order to more aggressively attract the best and brightest physical therapy doctoral students to consider this particular field, the Eastern North Carolina Chapter of the National Multiple Sclerosis Society is hosting a black tie casino night at Solas in downtown Raleigh with the goal of raising enough money to award four scholarships annually.
What: Casino Solas - Masquerade & Casino Night
When: Friday, October 30, 2009; 6:30 - 10:00 pm
Where: Solas Raleigh 2nd Floor Lounge - 419 Glenwood Avenue; Raleigh
Why: Raise funds for the UNC Physical Therapy MS Scholarship
Tickets: $75 per person (includes elegant buffet with champagne)
Reservations: Call 919-755-0755
Related Links:
About the UNC Physical Therapy MS Scholarship:
UNC Physical Therapy MS Scholarship Video:
Available for Interviews:
Chuck Willingham - MS patient and Chair of Physical Therapy Scholarship Team
Melissa Mahon - Doctor of Physical Therapy Candidate at UNC-Chapel Hill
Erica Byrne - Doctor of Physical Therapy Candidate at UNC- Chapel Hill
Dr. Ugo Goetzl - Neurologist with Raleigh Neurology
Media Contact:
Sharon Delaney McCloud - McCloud Communications LLC
919-810-5085; sharondmccloud@gmail.com
