History of the MS JAM
Over the past 6 years, our goal as the MS JAM FOUNDATION has been to raise awareness about multiple sclerosis and money for the National Multiple Sclerosis Society. We have been blessed to be able to contribute to the National Multiple Sclerosis Society over $100,000.00 in these five years.
I (Bill Gross) was diagnosed with MS in August of 2003. Dr. Zangara (my neurologist told my wife Kathy and I to learn as much as we could about the disease. Kath contacted the National MS Society and they were so helpful bringing us up to speed about the chronic disease. Dr. Zangara recommended I start one of the four injection therapies as soon as possible but I was not sure I wanted to start giving myself an injection on a regular basis. We contacted the National Multiple Sclerosis Society and they assured us that the injection therapies significantly reduce ms relapses. I started the injections about a week later, and have had very few minor relapses and no side effects from Copaxone since I started therapy almost 7 years ago. Copaxone is one of the four drug therapies to manage relapsing and remitting ms.
A few weeks after that, Shared Solutions (Copaxone) contacted us about an ms awareness seminar in Dearborn MI. We attended the seminar. There was a neurologist there to speak about ms, along with country music star and ms spokesman, Clay Walker, who was diagnosed with ms about 10 years ago. Clay Walker talked about how ms had affected his life, but was very positive about how he was able to have a normal family life, perform his shows, play guitar, and raise awareness about ms through the Band Against MS Foundation that he has founded.
Having been an amateur musician for over thirty years, I started thinking about how many musicians I knew in Northwest Ohio. Several of us had talked for years about getting some bands together to jam and bring “old friends” together. Kath and I contacted the National MS Society about our idea to put on a third party fundraiser for the NMSS. We talked to our friends John and Lou Luce about our idea and the first “MS JAM” planning committee was formed. From there, it’s history… for a great cause.
Again this year there will be many bands and acoustic performers in between each band. The music will include Contemporary Christian, Country, Rock & Roll, Blues, and a variety of Acoustic performers. Beverages, raffle tickets, auction items, and T-shirts will be sold at the event. The food is included in the price of the ticket.
Each year our support from businesses and organizations has grown. We sincerely thank each and every one of you for your trust and assure you that we are doing our best with your money or donations to make the MS JAM a worthy family event and to raise as much awareness about ms as we can. All of the proceeds from the MS JAM go to the Northwest Ohio Chapter, National Multiple Sclerosis Society to be used locally in their UMBRELLA of CARE PROGRAM to assist people afflicted with multiple sclerosis in Northwest Ohio.
The National MS Society has presented the MS JAM FOUNDATION with the 2006 GOLDEN HEART AWARD and the 2004 & 2007 OUTSTANDING CONTRIBUTOR AWARD. In September 2008 I was honored at the Dinner of Champions with the MS ACHIEVEMENT AWARD. Thank you for believing that we few can make a big difference in the lives of many if we just do, “what we can, while we can” to help.
We appreciate you for coming to this year’s MS JAM and we hope you had as much fun as we did putting it all together.
THE MS JAM FOUNDATION
