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Aggies Fighting Multiple Sclerosis strengthens students, raises money for cure
By Beth Brown
THE BATTALION
I For 21 years, senior agricultural economics
major Amy Neely led a normal, healthy life. But
_ J 1997, Neely was diagnosed with Multiple
s Xliul uor ' k ‘ Sclerosis, and her life changed forever,
s. Fhe thirdcaaiH “i had just returned from a vacation on South
extensive baocMadre Island when I noticed my left arm went
11 V- Any one ||iumb,” Neely said.
I After a week of waiting for the numbness to go
away, Neely went to the doctor and was told she
}iad a pinched nerve. But a month later, the numb
ness had not gone away.
I “[I went to] see a neurologist... and he wanted
to schedule me for an MRI. I said OK and went
home,” Neely said.
But when she got home, Neely found herself
nable to use the restroom. Neely was rushed to
ghe hospital where several MRI’s were performed.
“By the fourth day of my second attack, which
as no better, I found out that I had Multiple
ficlerosis” Neely said.
Many Aggies have heard of Multiple Sclerosis,
3r MS, but most do not know what the disease is.
. sinj™ Today, Multiple Sclerosis, as defined by the
j lin i 1 [ ,us : n an jn Mayo Clinic, is a chronic disease of the central
icrvous system which is comprised of the brain
ind spinal cord; the CNS (central nervous system)
sends and receives signals through a network of
nerves insulated by a protective protein coating
called myelin,” Neely said.
“[With Multiple Sclerosis], the myelin is bro
ken down, causing disruption in these signals.”
In 2001, Neely founded Aggies Fighting
Multiple Sclerosis on the A&M campus. She
began the organization to help fight the disease.
“I knew a lot of other people who also had MS
and decided that I wanted to do something to pro
mote awareness and raise money for research
while volunteering to help others within the com
munity who have MS,” Neely said.
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JILLIAN QUAST • THE BATTALION
Amy Neely, a senior agricultural economics major, leads the Aggies Fighting Multiple Sclerosis
meeting Tuesday night.
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Stephanie Arnaud, a junior elementary edu
cation major, joined AFMS this semester.
Arnaud has been fighting against MS since the
summer of 2000.
“The one symptom I deal with day in and day
out is the constant fatigue,” Arnaud said. “It
makes it hard to stay up and study or even get up
to go to class.”
Arnaud, like many other sufferers of MS, has
found some relief in various medications that
fight the disease.
“I have been dealing [with the disease] by tak
ing Avonex, medication that is injected intramus
cularly, which is no fun since I hate needles,”
Arnaud said.
Arnaud has also found relief among the mem
bers of AFMS.
“I am so glad that I have found this group,”
Arnaud said. “It’s nice to know that there are other
people my age dealing with this (disease), whether
they have MS themselves, or know a friend or
family member with it.”
Renee Gillman, a junior finance major, is faced
with MS in a different way. Gillman’s mother,
Denyse Henry, has the disease.
“It has affected my life in the sense that I wish
my mom could do more things that she wants to
do,” Gillman said. “It’s hard for me to know exact
ly what she can and can’t do because she pushes
herself a lot, so I wish I could understand what she
is going through.”
Gillman said her work with AFMS is a way
to help others who are experiencing the dis
ease.
“Hopefully through this organization, we can
raise awareness and maybe some money to donate
to the MS society,” Gillman said. “Most impor
tantly, 1 would just like to volunteer for MS fund
raising events and volunteer in the community to
help people around here with anything that they
need help with.”
AFMS has some big events coming up that it
hopes will help the fight against Multiple
Sclerosis.
“Currently we are planning to volunteer for the
MS 150, which is a bike ride from Houston to
Austin; this is the biggest fund-raiser for MS,”
Gillman said.
“In the future, we hope to put on a walk-a-thon
here with the help of the national MS chapter.”
Despite the hardships that come with MS,
many who have been diagnosed with the dis
ease have grown stronger and more determined
as people.
“I firmly believe that because of MS I will
graduate from A&M in December. Because of MS
I was strong enough to apply and get a
Congressional internship In Washington, D.C.,”
Neely said. “Because of MS I am a lot stronger
and less scared of the world.”
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