b'MS Focus ActivitiesMarcia Marty HarrisA Chance to Give BackBy Marsha ProninWhen she joined MS Focus, Marcia Marty Foundation,andeverythingavailableforHarris said while she didnt have MS, working clients who called in.at the Foundation appealed to her because of In February 2016, Marcia began lling inher own chronic conditions. She has temporal as an Assistive Technology support serviceslobe epilepsy, is a cancer survivor, and has coordinator. She was assigned her own clients,had a number of surgeriesincluding brain providing items and advising them where tosurgery. Knowing what it was like to have serious get additional funding when their needshealth concerns, Marcia felt she could closely exceededavailablebudgets. Whentalkingrelate to people with MS and their everyday about her clients, Marcia said, I realized thatstruggles. I can especially relate to people many of these people dont even know thatwith cognitive issues, as with my disability, I theyreeligibletogetsomeofthethingshave them as wellparticularly short-term available to them, and I was there to makememoryloss(STML).MysonJoealways sure that they did.teases me, STML, Mom, STML, when I forget Just a few months after being asked to llthings. I have shared that with people on the in, she was ocially promoted to Assistivephone many times when they apologized for Technologysupportservicescoordinator,their cognitive issues.At MS Focus, Marcia taking on a full caseload. In 2019 alone, she wasfound her true calling working with people assigned 730 cases including 98 Transportationwho were in need of assistance. Program cases. She said, While I wish I couldMarcia started at MS Focus in 2015, taking say I helped them all, I did make contact withon an administrative role for the Program them. Sometimes they didnt have the funds,Services department. An important part of her or the paperwork needed. I adopted childrenposition was answering the toll-free support who have special needs who are now adults,line, which she relished. Im a passionate so dealing with clients who have MS relates toperson and I feel very passionate about my who I am. Its hard to get things for specialwork at MS Focus. Im also a talker. When I needs. In this job, you need not just passion,interact with people, I dont just want to send but compassion too. That experience made methem information. I want to know Ive done a more aware when dealing with my clients. good job and helped. Marcia set out to learn In this position, she became part of theeverythingabouteverydepartmentatthe team who travel to various cities for MS Focusmsfocusmagazine.org 28'