b'MS Focus ActivitiesSherrol Patterson and Rosa AlvarezSpanish Hotline and Translation WorkBy Kimani HendricksIn 2000, Sherrol Patterson was a single now, but I do exactly what they do. Weremother of three children before being hired at responsible for contacting clients to see if theyMS Focus. The orthopedic oce I worked with qualify for the support they requested andfor nine years let several people go, and I was take the necessary steps to fulll their needs.one of them, she said. Devastated, I attended Each of us has cases to our names. church the next day, ran into an old friend, and Within a few years, MS Focus would have ashared my current circumstance. He reminded Spanish hotline, while Sherrol answered phoneme that as one door closes, another always opens, calls and translated written English materialsand he was right. While thumbing through into Spanish. In the beginning, the hotlinenewspapers, Sherrol locked in on a position that wasnt advertised much, but then we beganrequired a bilingual program services coordinator including it in the brochures. Soon, people frombetween the hours of 11 a.m. and 7 p.m. Those all overfrom Miami to California to Puerto Ricohours were perfect, but it wasnt until they calledbegan calling in! me for an interview that I realized it was the Glenda Gordon, the lead coordinator forMultiple Sclerosis Foundation. One of my cousins Homecare and Emergency Assistance grants,has MS and has been bedridden for a long time; works alongside Sherrol, also taking calls fromneedless to say, I was curious and wanted to the Spanish hotline. On rare occasions, whenlearn more. Looking back, it was a perfect t. neither of them is available, Rosa Alvarez sharesWhile the Foundation was still young, Sherrol the load. Employed by MS Focus since 1992,jumped in, becoming one of only four program Rosa came on board performing as a book-service coordinators. The sta was much smaller keeping clerk, eventually becoming accountingthen, and we did everything from answering manager. phones to passing appropriate information along To be with the Foundation this long isto the correct departments, Sherrol said.similar to watching a child grow, Rosa said.When someone spoke more Spanish than Ive seen it all, but I dont just work here forEnglish, Sherrol handled their cases. Eventually, a living. I work here because we help people.she received more homecare and emergency Knowing these programs make dierences inassistance requests, and her hard work paid o. the lives of those aected by multiple sclerosisSherrol got a promotion, becoming the associate means so much to me. director of Homecare and Patient Assistance When on the hotline, Rosa gathers informationprograms. I may supervise a team of my own from clients that keep her on the phone formsfocusmagazine.org 40'