20 msfocusmagazine.org By Tony DiGerolamo “May 1 will be my 18th anniversary at MS Focus. Being able to spend that much time serving MS clients has given me a great sense of fulfillment and has made me a stronger individual.” Sherrol Patterson, associate director to the HomecareAssistanceandEmergencyAssistance grants, juggles several important duties at MS Focus. “My department communicates with clients and homecare agencies daily. I supervise five employees, and one volunteer fromtheUrbanLeague.IalsotraveltoMSFocus events and interact with the community in person. It is always such a treat for me to put faces to the voices of the many clients that we have served, and to listen to their stories of how our services have helped them.” Sherrol elaborated on the importance of the services of her department. “Homecare is incrediblyvital to the MS community. If clients need assistance with cleaning their homes, bathing themselves, or shopping for groceries, or if a caregiver needs some respite, the Homecare Assistance Grant exists to help with those services. My department works with agencies across the country to ensure that people who need assistance with daily living activities are able to get that help.” If clients find themselves in a financial crisis, Sherrol and her team are here to help them, as well.“Wealsohandleallrequestsforemergency assistance. If someone is going to have their utilities shut off, or is threatened with eviction, then we work to ensure that those people are able to maintain their independence and stay in a safe environment.” Long before she started working for MS Focus, multiple sclerosis had been a part of Sherrol’s life. “I have three cousins that are diagnosed with this disease, one of which I grew up with. She was diagnosed at 23 and was misdiagnosed for many years before that, so MS has been very close to my heart through the years. Things were very different back then, but, even today, people face those same kinds of struggles.” Her encounters with the MS community don’t end at work and family members. “I’ve also met several people with MS through my church and in my neighborhood. One of my neighbors, who lives a few doors down, has MS. It is rare that a day goes by where I’m not Sherrol Patterson MS Focus Activities