Page 1 Page 2 Page 3 Page 4 Page 5 Page 6 Page 7 Page 8 Page 9 Page 10 Page 11 Page 12 Page 13 Page 14 Page 15 Page 16 Page 17 Page 18 Page 19 Page 20 Page 21 Page 22 Page 23 Page 24 Page 25 Page 26 Page 27 Page 28 Page 29 Page 30 Page 31 Page 32 Page 33 Page 34 Page 35 Page 36 Page 37 Page 38 Page 39 Page 40 Page 41 Page 42 Page 43 Page 44 Page 45 Page 46 Page 47 Page 48 Page 49 Page 50 Page 51 Page 52 Page 53 Page 54 Page 55 Page 56 Page 57 Page 58 Page 59 Page 60 Page 61 Page 62 Page 63 Page 64 Page 65 Page 66 Page 67 Page 6819 msfocusmagazine.org • MSFocuswasoneofthefirstMSorganizations to provide clients with information about an off-label treatment called 4-aminopyridine. Two decades later, the research on that treatment would provide the basis for the FDA-approved treatment, Ampyra®. By looking ahead and refusing to simply accept the status quo, we empowered our clients to take control of their health. From educating clients about MS, to connecting them with clinical trials for what would become important DMTs, we gave people information and options at a time when healthcare professionals could not. That forward-thinking attitude is still alive here. Each week, we speak with hundreds of clients, learning what problems they face, and researching solutions. We turn to our extensive resource library, our medical advisors, and experts in the field of wellness to help us provide the most current, complete information to help you live at your best. Reaching the “Information Superhighway” “We got one! We got one!” Ayoung woman bounced into the conference room waving a printed email – the first email ever received by the Foundation. Even though the Internet and email were new ideas, the Foundation staff immediately saw potential in them. We acted quickly on that potential and expanded our outreach just as the Internet Age dawned: • MS Focus launched a first-of-its-kind Internet home page, followed soon by a full website when theWorldWideWeb became available. • We created forums where those with MS could reach out to each other for peer-to- peer support. Our medical advisors also answered questions presented to them through these forums. • As ourweb presence grew, we began hosting webinars, created an online video library, and started offering e-newsletters. Every way in which people can reach MS Focus, and every way in which we can reach out to people who need our services, is worth- while to us. By looking forward and putting faith in the growth of technology, even before many others did, we have been able to stay connected to the MS community - no matter how they chose to communicate. Today, in addition to in-person, phone and email, MS Focus staff members receive a great deal of contactwithclientsthroughsocialmedia channels. That is simply the latest method we have adopted to reach out to you. Picking Up Speed The growth of our outreach efforts was not limited to the Internet, though. We took every step possible to close anycommunication gaps. Recognizing the increasing number of Spanish-speaking people in the United States, we began to offer many of our educational materialsandprogramapplicationsinSpanish. We also sought out bilingual team members tosupporttheseclientsinaccessingourservices. No matterwhat language our clients spoke, or how they wanted to contact us, we created a way to connect. This increased communi- cation between us and the MS community, and helped us to betterunderstand theirneeds. Thenumberofprogramsweofferedskyrocketed