Vote and Help Us Win $25,000!

You can now find the National MS Society, Eastern NC Chapter on Facebook, Twitter and Linked In. Not yet into social networking yourself? Well this is the perfect time to get started, because joining our movement on Facebook now can help us raise up to a million dollars!

Vote now

Chase Bank is offering Chase Community Giving: You Decide What Matters, a charitable program based solely on votes cast by Facebook users. One hundred charitable organizations all around the country will be chosen for funding. The majority of these organizations will receive $25,000 in funding, but five will receive $100,000, and one will receive $1 million!

We have a chance to make some great strides towards a world free of MS, and you can help through the click of your mouse, once a day! Please vote for our chapter. You can vote for more than one organization at a time, though clicking for us more often may give us the $1 million advantage as we move through the program's milestones.

Stage one: Votes now through December 11, 2009. Top 100 vote getters are awarded $25,000 each, announced December 15, 2009. Vote now!
Stage two: Votes January 15-22, 2009. Top vote getter is awarded $1 million, and five others are awarded $100,000 each, announced February 1, 2010.

Partnership to Fight Chronic Disease

On Friday, MS Activist Alex O'Connor attended the The Old North State Medical Society's Leadership Summit. Dr. Ken Thorpe, Executive Director of the Partnership to Fight Chronic Disease was honored for his work on health care reform. Here are Alex's take home points from Dr. Thorpe's speech on passing health care reform:

• In 1993, during the debate on health care, Thorpe described the attitude of policy makers was to get your first choice and if you could not have your first choice you chose the status quo. This time around, Thorpe said no one will get their first choice, instead changing the status quo has to be our first choice.

• Dr. Thorpe and G.K. Butterfield, who were both given awards for their work on health care reform acknowledged that there are political hot buttons in HB 3962 you are hearing about in the media like immigration, abortion, taxes, and the cost. However, what you do not hear about in HB 3962 are all the common sense things like 85/15 - insurance companies having to spend 85% on health care and make no more than 15% in profits.

• A health care reform bill has to be passed, the status quo can't stand any longer. We need to put aside partisanship, where we stand on abortion, how much of a public option there is, or our views on immigration. I am willing to give up my first choice to do the right thing and fight to end the status quo of health care now.

Register Now to learn the latest about Health Care Reform

On Wednesday, November 4 at 7pm, US Representative Bob Etheridge will hold a teleconference to discuss the latest House Health Care Reform bill which was unveiled last week. Rep. Etheridge serves on the US House of Representatives' Ways and Means Committee. The Ways And Means Committee is one of the three US House Committees that has worked on health care reform legislation.

Click HERE to register for the call. Your information must be submitted by noon, Tuesday, November 3, to participate in Rep. Etheridge's Teleconference Town Hall Meeting.

Health care reform is one of the most pressing domestic issues in America today. The National Multiple Sclerosis Society has adopted National Health Care Reform Principles to move us closer to change. Use this teleconference to learn how health care reform will impact people living with MS.

How does Ore. candidate roll? With MS, on a Segway

Enjoyed this Associated Press article about Oregon Gubernatorial candidate, Bill Bradbury, living and "Segwaying" with MS. While I do not know Mr. Bradbury, I do know many other people advocating for people living with MS. Thank you.

Listen to a Quick Clip on Health Care Reform

The North Carolina Chapters of the National MS Society are very lucky to have the policy and political expertise of Mike Daisley. Mike is a long-time Trustee of the Mid-Atlantic Chapter and has served on the Chapters' statewide Government Relations Committee since it formed in 2001. Because of Mike's expertise, Charlotte radio station, WBT often asks Mike to comment on local, state and federal elections as well as important policy topics. Check out Mike's commentary on Health Insurance Reform.

Senate Votes No to Public Option in Health Care Bill

On September 29, 2009 the US Senate’s Finance Committee voted against two amendments for a public health care option. Opponents to the public option plan believe that government would eventually have full control over health care, leaving private insurers to go out of business. However, Public Option proponents reject this claim, stating that public option would provide needed competition for private insurers while making health coverage accessible to millions of people currently lacking health insurance.

The Finance Committee is the last congressional panel to consider health care legislation before debate begins in the full House and Senate. Democratic proposals passed by another Senate committee and three House committees all include the public insurance option.

In the House, Congressional Leadership have planned a series of meetings to begin merging the three versions passed out of House committees while bringing down the overall cost by $200 billion.

Try Transit Week 2009

Next week, Sept. 28-Oct.2, Triangle Transit partners will be hosting events to encourage public transportation. All bus systems in the Triangle are committed to providing a public transportation system that everyone can use. GoTriangle.org encourages individuals with disabilities to take advantage of the independence and flexibility that is provided by our fixed route and shuttle service. Both seniors and individuals living with disabilities are entitled to discounted fares.

Area Transit Partners: Capital Area Transit, Cary Transit(C-Tran), Chapel Hill Transit,Durham Area Transit Authority, NC State University Wolfline and Triangle Transit will be hosting events which may include a free bus ride. Check out http://www.gotriangle.org/trytransit2009/index.html, for more information.

If you have a physical or mental disability that prevents you from using the bus system, you may qualify for one of the ADA Paratransit programs throughout the Triangle Region.

Eligible residents of Raleigh
CAT's Accessible Raleigh Transit:
Web Site: Click Here
Phone number: 919-890-3459

Eligible residents of Durham
DATA's ACCESS Program
Web Site: http://data.durhamnc.gov/access.cfm
Phone Number: 919-560-1555

Eligible residents of Chapel Hill
EZ Rider Program
Phone Number: 919-968-2755

Eligible residents of Cary
Cary Transit
Web Site: http://www.townofcary.org/ctran/disabled.htm
Phone Number: 919-481-2020

Eligible residents of Raleigh, Durham, and Chapel Hill whose travel begins and
ends three-quarters of a mile or less from Triangle Transit routes 402, 403, 412, 413, or 105
Triangle Transit Paratransit System
Web Site: http://www.triangletransit.org/bus/accessibility/
Phone: 919-485-7468