Sophomore Council Raises Awareness

My name is Crystal Woodard and I am a sophomore here at USM. I was full of excitement and enthusiasm as I entered college in the fall of 2006. In September, 2006, during the extreme heat wave, I got too hot on the marching band practice field and almost blacked out. The next morning I noticed my right foot was numb. As the days passed, it seemed as if it was spreading to my hand and my walk was affected. I kept thinking maybe I had a pinched nerve or something minor. On October 9^th, I had an appointment with a neurologist. I had to have a MRI on my brain and an hour later I was diagnosed with Multiple Sclerosis.

According to the National Multiple Sclerosis Society, 200 people are diagnosed with Multiple Sclerosis every week. Multiple Sclerosis was an illness that I had very rarely heard of until my diagnosis. It is a disease of affecting the central nervous system. There is currently no cure for MS. However, there are medications to help curve the possible deadly affects of Multiple Sclerosis.

As a Southern Miss student, I am facing a challenge that very few people of my age have to face. My whole life has changed, from being an active teenager with no limits and no handicaps, to a teenager battling MS and all the limitations and bouts with fatigue, depression, mood swings, and horrible pain. I have to wake up each morning with a positive attitude and my mind set on making it through the day.

I do realize that Multiple Sclerosis is something that very few students have to face. As I mentioned earlier, there are medications for MS. I take shots that leave me with flu like symptoms 3 days a week. My dream is to wake up one morning to read in the paper that a cure has been found for Multiple Sclerosis meaning I no longer have to take injections. With the Multiple Sclerosis walk coming up on Saturday, April 12 and 8 am at the Longleaf Trace and with your help and donations, my dream of an MS free world may soon become reality. I would like for all of you to join me at 8am April 12 at the Long Leaf Trace Parkway across from campus or you can drop off any monetary donations to your Luckyday Mentor or on the second floor of Hickman Hall in the office of Ms. Amy Wade. I want to thank each of you for your help.

Sincerely,

Crystal Woodard