Dive Into Summer With Swim for MS

Begin your warm weather festivities this summer with the Multiple Sclerosis Association of America’s Swim for MS fundraiser! Swim for MS is a do-it-yourself fundraiser where participants create their own Swim challenge and recruit donations online to support the MS community.

Examples of Swim challenges from past participants include swimming one lap for every dollar donated, cannonball jumping contests, backyard pool parties, water polo games, and more. MSAA’s Swim for MS motto is, “Any Pool, Any Time,” so MSAA encourages anyone with an interest in swimming to get creative with their swim challenges and raise funds, which allow MSAA to provide free programs and services to the MS community.

Signing up for an individual or team Swim challenge provides direct services to people like Simone, one of MSAA’s past swim participants, who has multiple sclerosis. Simone created her own Swim for MS challenge as a way to raise awareness for MS while enjoying the benefits of aquatic exercise. Simone said, “Living with multiple sclerosis on land is rough. I walk slowly. My hands and feet are numb and tingling. My vision is blurred from optic neuritis. I am tired all of the time and my brain is sometimes in a fog. But I am free in the water… In the pool I am not disabled. When I am swimming, I am enough. In a race against MS, I win.”

MSAA’s programs, such as Swim for MS, provide hope to so many people living with MS on a daily basis. To create your own swim challenge with family, friends, teammates, and more please visit SwimforMS.org.

About MSAA

The Multiple Sclerosis Association of America (MSAA) is a national nonprofit organization and leading resource for the entire MS community, improving lives today through vital services and support. MSAA provides free programs and services, such as: a Helpline with trained specialists; award-winning publications, including MSAA’s magazine, The Motivator; MSAA’s nationally recognized website (at mymsaa.org), featuring award-winning educational videos and research updates; S.E.A.R.C.H.® program to assist the MS community with learning about different treatment choices; a mobile phone app, My MS Manager™ (named one of the best multiple sclerosis iPhone & Android apps by Healthline.com); a resource database, My MS Resource Locator; safety and mobility equipment distribution; cooling accessories for heat-sensitive individuals; educational programs held across the country; My MSAA Community, a peer-to-peer online support forum; a clinical trial search tool; and more. For additional information, please visit www.mymsaa.org or call (800) 532-7667.

About Multiple Sclerosis

Multiple sclerosis (MS) is a disease of the central nervous system (CNS), which consists of the brain, optic nerves, and spinal cord. MS damages or destroys the protective covering (known as myelin) surrounding the nerves of the CNS, and can potentially injure the nerves as well. This damage causes reduced communication between the brain and nerve pathways. Common MS symptoms include visual problems, overwhelming fatigue, difficulty with balance and coordination, depression and cognitive issues, and various levels of impaired mobility. Many experts estimate that 2.5 million people worldwide have been diagnosed with this disease, and most people with MS are diagnosed between the ages of 15 and 50. MS is not contagious and researchers continue to look for both a cause and a cure.

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