MS Education

What is Multiple Sclerosis (MS)?
Who gets MS?
Can MS be cured?
What are The Heuga Center programs and how do they help?
Where is The Heuga Center?
How is The Heuga Center Funded?

WHAT IS MULTIPLE SCLEROSIS?

MS is a chronic, disabling disease with no known cause or cure.

Multiple sclerosis is an unpredictable disease that attacks the central nervous system. Symptoms may be mild, such as numbness in the limbs or more severe, like paralysis or loss of vision. The progress, severity and specific symptoms of MS in any one person cannot be predicted.

MS is thought to be an autoimmune disease. The body’s own defense system attacks myelin, the fatty substance that surrounds and protects the nerve fibers of the brain and spinal cord (the central nervous system). The damaged myelin may form scar tissue (sclerosis). Sometimes the nerve fiber is also damaged. When any part of the myelin sheath or nerve fiber is damaged or destroyed, nerve impulses to and from the brain are distorted or interrupted.

MS is not fatal. Individuals have normal or near-normal life expectancies. Most people with MS learn to cope with the disease and live full, productive lives.

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WHO GETS MS?

One in 750 people, mostly women.

Multiple Sclerosis is the most prevalent neurological disease among young adults. 400,000 Americans have MS. Most diagnosed between the ages of 20 and 50, and about two thirds are women. The disease is more frequently found among people who grew up in colder climates.

Studies indicate that genetic factors make certain individuals susceptible to the disease, but there is no evidence that MS is directly inherited.

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CAN MS BE CURED?

No, but until there is a cure, there is The Heuga Center.

Advances in treating and understanding MS are encouraging, and several FDA-approved medications have been shown to modify or slow down the underlying course of MS. There is still no cure for MS, however, The Heuga Center’s Programs are recognized worldwide as a valuable complement to regular medical treatment.

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WHAT ARE THE HEUGA CENTER PROGRAMS AND HOW DO THEY HELP?

The Heuga Center’s five-day CAN DO Program brings together 45 MS specialists in diverse fields, from neurologists and psychologists, to nutritionists and physical therapists to address the needs, concerns, and goals of 25 participants and their support partners. Workshops, lectures, fitness assessments, one-on-one consultations, and an entire support partner program make the CAN DO Programs unique in the world. Participants leave the program with new focus on maintaining their overall health, a “tool box” of strategies and the empowerment to use them to have a positive approach to life beyond their MS, and with a specific individualized lifestyle program tailored to their needs and capabilities.

In addition, the Center offers three-day CAN DO 2 and one-day JUMPSTART programs as well as continuing education professional seminars and Internet-based education and teleconferences. The program staff consists of national and international experts in MS management including physicians and allied health and mental health professionals. The programs concentrate on participant’s needs and concerns related to the uncertainty of a chronic disease such as MS. This is done through identifying specific goals of each individual and providing a roadmap for achievement of those goals.

Another important aspect is the inclusion of support partners (spouses, family members and friends) as part of all programs, recognizing the unique needs of these individuals as it relates to managing a chronic disease. Approaching overall health and MS management as a “team” provides greater strength and support than ‘going it alone’. The Heuga Center emphasizes the importance of addressing each individual’s needs and goals in its lifestyle management programs.

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Where is The Heuga Center?

The Heuga Center is a national 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization with offices based in Edwards, Colorado. While we call Colorado home, we conduct programs across North America. In 2006, The Heuga Center presented more than 60 programs and workshops, touching more than 5,700 people with MS, in 21 states and Canadian provinces. In 2007, the Center's goal is to touch 7,000 people with MS, their families, and professionals in the MS field.

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How is The Heuga Center Funded?

The Heuga Center is a 501(c)(3), nonprofit organization funded through individual contributions, corporate donations and grants, as well as special events such as the Vertical Express for MS, Heuga Center Invitational Golf Tournament, Climbing Mountains for MS, Winter Wine & Ski Expo, Alpen Wine Fest, New York Autumn Benefit, and others.

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