As about half of our members have multiple sclerosis (MS), we strive to ensure that this demographic is represented and addressed in every issue of Action. But as we also strive to bring relevant information to people with all sorts of spinal cord injuries and disorders, by necessity, our monthly dosage of MS news is limited.
According to the Multiple Sclerosis Foundation (www.msfocus.org/), March is National MS Education and Awareness Month. The National MS Society (nmss.org) also reserves the first week of this month for its MS Awareness Week. So permit me to use the occasion of this special month to raise awareness about one of Action’s sister publications in print and online, Multiple Sclerosis Quarterly Report (MSQR).
When I first began as an editor at this organization 11 years ago, MSQR was a dry little caterpillar, printed on a thick manila-colored paper, with very few two-color illustrations and lots of text about complex medical research. Since then, MSQR has blossomed into a beautiful four-color butterfly. Published by United Spinal Association in association with the Consortium of MS Centers/North American Research Committee on MS (NARCOMS), MSQR is still filled with news and the latest information about leading research for people with MS. But now it is also a pleasure to behold!
If you know someone who has MS is not a member of United Spinal Association, you could do them a favor by sending themto fill out the Membership Application here. By joining United Spinal, they will automatically begin receiving both Action and MSQR. For a preview of both, you can send them to www.unitedspinal.org/publications/action/ and www.unitedspinal.org/publications/msqr/. (And be sure to check both online journals out yourself!)
Christofer D. Pierson
Managing Editor
Hello Christofer,
I was interested to read your comments …’about half of our members have multiple sclerosis (MS)’… As a medical researcher here in Australia I was wondering if you could assist me by answering this question, How many of these MS members have had a PAST x-ray with a contrast medium (dye) injected into the lower back (small amount of patients via neck, due to neck injury) most common procedure called myelogram or discogram. My reason, I am researching a possible casual relationship between these injections (PRIOR) to being diagnosed with MS. These injection may have taken place many years earlier than diagnosis.
Kind Regards,
Derek Morrison
BCW ADCW A&WT