Group faces disease head-on

By Tom Marine


Thursday, November 13, 2008

Scott Sowers and Jimmy Forrest sat inside the Ayden Free Will Baptist Church about one hour before their self-help group was scheduled to meet Tuesday.

Beside them were two medals, two certificates of achievement and dozens of pamphlets about multiple sclerosis. Both men, who work as co-leaders of the Pitt and Greene County Self-Help Group, were diagnosed with the disease more than 10 years ago.

For their efforts in fighting MS, Sowers and Forrest were honored by the National Multiple Sclerosis Society with the 2009 Medal of Valor for Excellence Award.

“People come to this group for support,” Forrest said. “They may be dealing with all kinds of issues, and we provide an outlet to educate them and find the answers to their questions.”

Both Sowers and Forrest said they have worked together as leaders of the local self-help group since May 2007, aiming to advocate and spread public awareness about the disease. They said several types of speakers have come to the group meetings the first Tuesday of every month to educate the members about assistant technology and medications.

“We are excited to recognize and celebrate those who are making a difference in the lives of the over 4,500 individuals living with multiple sclerosis in eastern North Carolina,” said Kaye Gooch, vice president of programs for the society’s eastern North Carolina Chapter. “Volunteers like Scott and Jimmy sacrifice a great deal of time and energy to help the residents of Pitt and Greene counties.”

Multiple sclerosis is an unpredictable and often disabling disease that interrupts the flow of information from the brain to the body and prevents people from moving. Most people with MS are diagnosed between the ages of 20 and 50.

“We want our members to talk, to vent, to get to know each other,” said Sowers, who lives in Winterville. “They do build connections. They call each other when they are dealing with their struggles and can find support from each other.”

In addition to their battle for a cure, Forrest said they are fighting to improve the handicap parking situation in Greenville. He said it has been a challenging project, but as he tells other group members, they are on a mission.

“We are not quitters,” he said. “We do not lay down and let this disease define who we are.”

Sowers advocates for more federal funding to find a cure. Right now, he said, there are only methods, such as steroids, to keep the body from attacking itself.

He added when a person is diagnosed with MS, it affects the entire family.

Because of the intensive work required to care for these loved ones, Sowers said, they invite the whole family to attend the group meetings.

“The caregivers are the real heroes,” Sowers said. “When we are diagnosed, the whole family is diagnosed.”

For those in Pitt or Greene County who were recently diagnosed or had a family member diagnosed with MS, Forrest and Sowers had some advice.

“Find a good doctor that you can relate to and build a relationship with,” Forrest said. “Then get involved with a support group. Ask yourself what are you doing to be proactive in your health care.”

For more information about MS or the self-help group, contact Forrest at mariposawoods5@aol.com

Contact Tom Marine at tmarine@coxnc.com or (252) 329-9567.