London Gold Party at BMSTC - Tuesday 7th December!

Got any unwanted or broken gold jewellery hanging around that you would like to turn into extra cash for Christmas?

Then when not come along to our London Gold Party here at the Centre on Tuesday 7th December 11.30 am -6.30 pm!

The London Gold Company:
• Give a no-obligation quote to buy your gold
• If you decide to sell, you receive cash immediately
• Competitive prices for any karat gold
BMSTC will receive 7.5% commission on all sales!


Visit our events page for more details here.

She's shaking off disease by belly dancing.

From the MetroWest Daily News:
Since she was diagnosed with multiple sclerosis, Anna Connors keeps her limbs limber and her spirits strong by belly dancing.


A former high school gymnast and dedicated marathoner, she'd always been healthy and active.  Read article here.

Assisted suicide law to be reviewed by Lords

From the Guardian.co.uk

Commission aims to clarify legal position both for terminally ill and loved ones. But campaigners fear sufferers could be pressured into ending life.  Read full article here.

Westbury woman talking up a vital service

From the Wiltshire Times:

A Westbury woman who suffers from multiple sclerosis has praised the Royal National Institute of Blind People’s talking books service on its 75th anniversary.   Read article here.

Reprieve for East Lothian MS respite care centre

From the BBC News:
Scotland's only respite centre for those affected by multiple sclerosis has been given a reprieve at the 11th hour.


The centre in East Lothian, due to close next week after a high-profile campaign to keep it open, is to be funded for at least another six months.

The Multiple Sclerosis Society in London has pledged the funding.  Read full article here.

Thank you to everyone who voted for BMSTC!

Thank you to everyone who voted for us to receive a NatWest Community Award. They will be announcing the results mid December - we'll let you know how we get on as soon as we hear. Thanks again for your support, much appreciated :0)

Sir John steps up for MS charity

From Getreading - the Reading Evening Post

(Our apologies to other MS Therapy Centres or specialist MS Centres for the misquote that we are the coutnry's largest specialist centre for MS! :)

The country’s largest specialist centre for multiple sclerosis (MS) has welcomed Sir John Madejski as its newest patron.


Located in West Reading, the Berkshire MS Therapy Centre offers treatment to sufferers of the degenerative disease across the south of England and Sir John was so taken by the work of the volunteers at a recent visit, he agreed to put his name to the charity.  Read full article here.

Are you fed up with writing Christmas Cards?

From the MS Society:

Are you fed up with writing and posting Christmas cards? Do you want an environmentally friendly alternative to paper cards? Send an MS Society Christmas eCard to your friends and family and support a great cause at the same time.  For more info click here.

Research suggests link between environmental pollutant and MS

From the MS Society:
An American study has suggested that acrolein, commonly found in cigarette smoke and exhaust fumes, may play a part in MS. This was very early research carried out in a laboratory and has not been investigated in people with MS.  Read article here.

Regulatory T cells exhibit enhanced migratory characteristics, a feature impaired in patients with multiple sclerosis

From Wiley online library :
Abstract
Migration of immune cells characterizes inflammation and plays a key role in autoimmune diseases such as MS. CD4+Foxp3+ regulatory T cells (Treg) have the potential to dampen immune responses but show functional impairment in patients with MS.   Read article here.

Virgin Charity Credit Card!

Thinking of switching credit card? Why not have a look a the Virgin Charity Credit Card and help raise money for your chosen charity when you spend! If you want to find us on their website look for BMSTC !



http://uk.virginmoney.com/virgin/charity-credit-card/charities/

Council seeks users views on community care

From Get Reading - Reading Evening Post:

"Around 4,000 elderly and vulnerable people in Reading and their carers are to be asked what they think about cuts to care services.


Their views on being charged the full cost of care in the home if they have the money to pay will also be sought."

Read full article here.

CBC News - N.L. Zamboni study enrolling MS patients

From CBC News:
Newfoundland and Labrador researchers are enrolling multiple sclerosis patients in an observational study of a controversial treatment for the disease.

Health ministers are under intense pressure from patients to accelerate research testing a theory that abnormal blood drainage from the brain plays a role in multiple sclerosis and that angioplasty on neck veins might help treat the disease. (Pablo Martinez Monsivais/Associated Press)

The provincial government promised in September to spend $320,000 on the study.  Read full article here.

MS sufferer builds a new career after leaving the RAF

From the BBC:

A former RAF helicopter pilot from Canford Magna set up his own furniture making-business at home after being diagnosed with Multiple Sclerosis (MS).
A great story - read the full article here.

People with MS to benefit from review of Work Capability Assessment

From the MS Society:

An independent review of the Work Capability Assessment (WCA), the main assessment for Employment and Support Allowance, calls for extensive reforms to make it fairer and more effective.  For more details click here.

Fitness-to-work tests to be reformed after criticism

From the BBC:
Tests determining whether people are fit to work are to be reformed to offer more support and to take greater account of mental health conditions.  Read full article here.

Facebook!

Don't forget you can join BMSTC on Facebook!

Follow the link and click on "Like" at the top of the page to receive our newsfeeds.  Feel free to post up your own news to share with others or comment on posts :)  Go to our page click here

Nancy's Glass Jewellery Party!

Thursday 9th December 2010 any time between 3pm & 9pm. Woodley, Reading.

For sale pendants, earrings, rings, bracelets, cuff-links plus other glass items for the home – all designed by me making ideal and unique Christmas presents.

For every sale I will be donating 15% to the Berkshire Multiple Sclerosis Therapy Centre who are a local charity helping people whose lives have been touched by this illness

There is a glass of mulled wine or orange juice plus mince pies in the kiln!

I do hope you can make it.

Nancy

Call the Centre on 0118 901 6000 or email pippa@bmstc.org  for further details.

4 Days left to Vote for BMSTC!

‎4 Days left to vote for BMSTC!! 1st place is £3,000, and 2nd and 3rd place is £1,000. Visit the link below, type in our postcode RG30 2JP then select the Reading Market place branch and you will see our details! Thanks for your help from all at the Reading MS Therapy Centre :)


To vote click visit: https://communityfund.natwest.com/Vote

Healthcare listens to social media

From the MS Trust:
Online chatter is a valuable source of information about patients' symptoms and the effectiveness of drugs and other treatments.


Patients often reveal more details about their medical conditions in discussions on social networks, blogs, and other online forums than they share with their doctors. They talk about their experience with illness and the medications they're taking in more detail. They bring up issues they don't realize are relevant to their treatment or that they're too embarrassed to share face to face.  For more click here.

Reading Station Closure: Christmas 2010 works -

Whether you pass through on a long distance journey, or your travel plans depend on going to or from Reading itself, changes to services will affect you.

For information on rail and road closures please click here.

Discussion of benefits vs risks of surgical intervention for patients with multiple sclerosis

From the MS Trust:
Paolo Zamboni, MD, professor of surgery at the University of Ferrara (Ferrara, Italy), was among the 430 presenters at the 37th annual VEITHsymposium held at the Hilton New York.


In his November 18th discussion of multiple sclerosis patients who are experiencing decreased blood flow as a result of narrowing of specific veins of the head and thorax, Dr Zamboni evaluated the risks of surgical intervention as opposed to the possible rewards. His summary was based on two recent pilot studies.  Read more here.

Death of MS patient fuels debate over new treatment

From Saturday's Globe and Mail

The death of the first Canadian after a controversial multiple sclerosis treatment abroad has deepened the chasm between doctors and patients: Physicians are urging more caution than ever, and people with MS are demanding with increased fervour that doctors set aside their reservations and perform the operation in Canada. For more click here.

Brain scientists battling to preserve our sanity from MS, Alzheimer's and Parkinson's

From the Mail Online:

The greatest threat to humanity is all in our minds - Parkinson's, multiple sclerosis and Alzheimer's affect millions, while one in six of us will die with dementia. Andrew Preston put squeamishness aside to observe the brain scientists who are on one of civilisation's most ambitious quests: to prolong life itself.

Read article here.

Collette Waller: 'Without MS, there wouldn't be all these poems'

From the Guardian:

Collette Waller's powerful poetry – bitter and humble, funny and furious, savage and insightful – records the reality of her life with multiple sclerosis.  Read article here.

JLS Star Ortise Williams: "I cared for mum as a kid..JLS is my way of improving our lives

From the Mirror:

When JLS star Oritse Williams was 12, he should have been out riding his bike, kicking a ball or rehearsing the dance moves that would one day turn him into the idol of millions.

Read full article here.

CCSVI in Focus at ECTRIMS: New Data but Still Little Clarity

From Medscape Today:
November 17, 2010 (Göteborg, Sweden) — New data on the possible link between chronic cerebrospinal venous insufficiency (CCSVI) and multiple sclerosis (MS) have done little to clarify the relationship between these conditions, providing evidence both for and against the controversial hypothesis.  Read full article here.

MS woman's op plight on TV special

From the Highland News:
AN Inverness woman is set to become a star of the small screen after TV researchers spotted a Highland News Group story about her fight for better treatment for Multiple Sclerosis (MS) patients.  Read article here.

Charities and social networking

Interesting article on the BBC website on how social media is being used by charities:
"Charitable fund-raising has always been a sociable affair - from lavish society events to "bring and buy" sales at the local school. But has the social media revolution of the last five years transformed fund-raising - and more importantly, has it made us more generous?"  

Read article here.

Reform of adult social care services

From the MS Trust:
The government has published its vision for the reform of adult social care services A Vision for Adult Social Care: Capable Communities and Active Citizens. The aim is to devolve power from central government with councils providing personal budgets, preferably as direct payments, to everyone who is eligible by 2013.   Read fulll article here.

UK's hidden army of young carers

From the MS Trust:
The BBC has today (Tuesday) published a survey which reveals there are about 700,000 young people (under 18s) in the UK caring for family members, about four times as many as previously estimated from a 2001 census.   Read full article here.

What new plans for social care in England mean to people with MS

From the MS Society:

Read the MS Society "Good news, areas of concern and what we're doing"
here!

Don't forget the BMSTC webshop!

Don't forget the BMSTC Webshop for all of your online shopping needs! A convenient way to shop, no extra cost to you and you help to raise funds for BMSTC all at the same time, it couldn't be easier :)


Click link to shop now! http://buy.at/bmstc

London Marathon - 2 Gold Places left!

Can you help us spread the news please? Anyone fancy running or know someone who would like to run the 2011 London Marathon? We have 2 Gold Bold places left available! First come first served - they are like gold dust! If you're interested please call jackie in 0118 901 6000 or email jackie@bmstc.org

Pop in to see our Debenhams Collectors!

If you are in Reading this week why not pop into Debenhams at the Oracle and visit our volunteer collectors and packers!! They will be there for the week and I'm sure would appreciated a friendly hello!! They do a fantastic job not only raising money for the Centre but also awareness of our work :)

BBC World Service - 16 year old Sarah Thomas looks after her mother who has MS

From the BBC:
BBC World service 16th November Sixteen year old Sarah Thomas looks after her mother who has Multiple Sclerosis. Her father has serious arthritis and other disabling conditions so is not able to help around the house. As she is an only child, Sarah has taken on the full responsibility of caring for her mum. Sarah recently went to meet the British Prime Minister David Cameron to raise awareness of the growing number of children in her position.

For more click here:




.

Greater "choice" for social care

From the BBC:

Ministers will urge councils to ensure everyone receiving care gets a personal budget by 2013.  

Read article here.

Young carers "deserve more help"

From the BBC:
Young carers do so much, it's good to see some media attention on this subject and for carers in general. The Children's Minister for England, Sarah Teather, said the research "shows the reality of what is really going on with young carers"."It is shocking to see that they don't get the support they need or the recognition they deserve," she said, adding that the government is to launch a strategy for carers later this year.

Read more here.

Just Giving!

If you are wanting to raise sponsorship or donations for the MS Therapy Centre then Just Giving provide an excellent solution for online fundraising :)

Click here for more.

Please vote for us if you haven't already!!

‎10 days left to go! Please vote for BMSTC to recieve a Natwest Community Fund Award!! Follow the link below, type our postcode RG30 2JP, if you select Reading Market Place you will see us appear with 2 other charities, click on vote for BMSTC and complete your contact details...Simples!! Please ask your friends and family to do the same!! Thanks :)

https://communityfund.natwest.com/Vote

Self Care Week 15th November

Monday 15th November sees the start of Self Care Week. As winter approaches, NHS Berkshire West has a number of initiatives to help local people, especially those with long term conditions, to keep well and out of hospital.

For more info click here.

Postal Scam - be careful!

Can you circulate this around especially as Xmas is fast approaching - it has been confirmed by Royal Mail. The Trading Standards Office are making people aware of the following scam:
A card is posted through your door from a company called PDS (Parcel Delivery Service) suggesting that they were unable to deliver a parcel and that you need to contact them on 0906 6611911 (a Premium rate number).

DO NOT call this number, as this is a mail scam originating from Belize.

If you call the number and you start to hear a recorded message you will already have been billed £315 for the phone call.

If you do receive a card with these details, then please contact Royal Mail Fraud on 020 7239 6655.

For more information, see the Crime Stoppers website:
http://www.crimestoppers-uk.org/crime-prevention/helping-prevent-crime/scams/postal-delivery-scam

Christmas Fayre Success!

We had a great time at the Christmas Fayre on Saturday, Sir John Madejski officially opened the event and stayed for over an hour chatting to the crowds. The Fayre raised over a record £2K and Sir John has agreed to be one of ourPatrons!!

All this was made possible by the efforts of our Fundraising Link Group, in particular Sue Smith who was responsible for inviting Sir John along - so a huge... vote of thanks to all of them.

Thanks also to everyone who came along and supported the event! :))

Special Shopping Evening in Reading - Monday 6th December 2010

From Reading Borough Council:
Special shopping evening for the elderly and disabled in Reading on Monday 6th, between 6pm - 8pm December 2010.

Free parking and hassle free Christmas shopping. Spaces are issued on a first come first served basis. For more informtion click here.

Read the latest MSRC News

From the MSRC
MSRC News - interesting read including: Multiple Sclerosis in Iran: A Demographic Study of 8,000 Patients, MS patients warn of complications after CCSVI treatment, Disability status scale predicts progression in MS.....


Click here for more.

Duncan Smith unveils details of welfare 'contract'

From the BBC:
A major shake-up in the welfare system will benefit all those who "play by the rules", Work and Pensions Secretary Iain Duncan Smith has said.  Watch here.

Plans to overhaul benefits may severely impact people with MS.

From the MS Society:
Yesterday's benefits shake-up promises to simplify the benefits system with a new universal credit. But it also introduces a harsh new regime of sanctions for employment support allowance (ESA), and limits ESA support to just one year for many people.  Read full article here.

MS Trust supports MS specialist posts under threat

From the MS Trust:
In excess of 300 health professionals gathered for the MS Trust annual conference earlier this week, to learn about new research and management strategies for MS. The delegates represented 73% of the MS specialist nurses from across the UK and there were also 52 specialist therapists in attendance.  Read full article here.

Please vote for BMSTC!

We are one of the three local charities nominated to recieve a Natwest Community Award!  Please vote for us!   Follow the link below, type our postcode RG30 2JP, if you select Reading Market Place you will see us appear with 2 other charities, click on vote for BMSTC and complete your contact details...Simples!! Please ask your friends and family to do the same!! Thanks :)

To vote Click here:

CTV News interview with Dr Sandy McDonald broadcast on the 9th November 2010

Click here to view via Facebook

Pride of Britain award for Ryan

Source The Scotsman:
A GLASGOW teenager who set up a multiple sclerosis charity after his mother was diagnosed with the condition is among the Pride of Britain winners announced yesterday.  Read article here.

Survey of PCTs shows access to Sativex limited

From the MS Trust
A survey conducted by financial analysts, Nomoura Code, suggests that many local funding bodies are not recommending Sativex as a treatment for spasticity in multiple sclerosis with many viewing it as low priority.  Read more here.

Know anyone who wants to run the London Marathon 2011?

Anyone want to run, or know someone who would like to run, the 2011 London Marathon on behalf of BMSTC? We have a couple of Gold Bond places left, but please hurry, they go like hot cakes!! Please contact jackie@bmsc.org or call 0118 901 6000 :)

CCSVI Conference, 29th & 30th October 2010

Information on the CCSVI conference in Glasgow.

For more click here.

BG-12 shows promise in relapsing remitting MS

From the MS Trust:
BG-12 is an experimental new drug treatment for people with relapsing remitting multiple sclerosis (MS) that is taken orally (by mouth). The mechanism of action is not fully understood, but preclinical studies have suggested that BG-12 may have complex neuroprotective and anti-inflammatory effects.  Read more here.

Glia: The new frontier in brain science

From Scientific American:

The current issue of the journal Science (November 5) marks a turning point in research on the brain. This event is fascinating not only for the wealth of new information about how the brain functions and how it fails in mental and neurological illness, but equally as a rare display of a field of science changing course. Such transitions are the lore of scientific history, but rarely do we have the opportunity to witness such pivotal moments in real time.

Read full article here.

Christmas Fayre - 13th November 1.00 - 3.30 pm

Don't forget our Christmas Fayre held at the Centre on Saturday 13th November 1.00 - 3.30 pm. We are delighted that Sir John Madejski will be performing the opening ceremony! There will be lots of stalls with all sorts of things to buy and delicious cakes to eat in or take away. Tea, coffee and cold drinks will also ...be available and of course Santa will be there in his grotto!

MS Trust: Tell us what you think! Complete our survey and win £25 M&S voucher!

From the MS Trust:
Your views and experiences are very important to us, so we have put together a survey to find out a bit more about you and your involvement with the MS Trust.

 For more click here.

Essential Health Clinic article on CCSVI conference

From EHC:

We have had the great pleasure of hosting with MS-CCSVI UK, the first CCSVI conference in the UK.


On Friday 29th we had 42 medical delegates from all over the world to share their experience in CCSVI. This included Professor Marian Simka from Poland (whose team have carried our over 800 CCSVI cases in the past year), Dr Ivo Petrov from Bulgaria (who has carried out 461 cases) and Dr Al Omari from Jordan (who has performed over 300 cases).

The main outcome from the Friday meeting was a great willingness to work together internationally to prove the case for CCSVI.  Read more here.

Edwina Hart says 'all options open' as Nice loses powers

From the MS Trust
Health Minister Edwina Hart has said "all the options are on the table" for a Welsh replacement for the National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence (Nice).


The UK government announced on Monday it was taking away Nice's ability to decide what drugs are available on the NHS.

Instead, groups of GPs will be charged with deciding what drugs should be paid for by the NHS.

To read click here:

Calgary researcher wins neurobiology award

From CBC news:

Calgary-born researcher Christopher Gregg has won a prestigious international award for his research.

Gregg, 35, has been awarded the Eppendorf/Science Prize for Neurobiology for his work on how inherited maternal and paternal genes affect the brains of children.

Read more here:

When you can't stop laughing or crying!

From abc news:

When David Diehl, a third-generation family farmer, became a paraplegic five days after an autoimmune condition attacked his spinal cord in 1991, he began driving his tractor and combine using rails and his hands. When his doctor diagnosed multiple sclerosis in 1998, he made adjustments. When the MS left him blind in his left eye in 2000, he relied on faith and family to move beyond it.  Read full article here.

Study reveals a potential target for treating brain trauma

Interesting!......"Our discovery could also be applicable to the study of other neurological diseases, such as stroke, dementia, multiple sclerosis brain infections and epilepsy, which are associated with long-term progressive degenerative changes in the brain," Professor O'Brien said.


To read click here.

Partners & Carers club

Don't forget we have a "Partners & Carers Club" meets every second Wednesday of the month and go on outings together! If you would like more information then contact us on 0118 901 6000. Next meeting is the 10th November with a light lunch and talk about colour.  This is a joing project with the Reading & Wokingham Districts MS Society :)

Discover adventure

"Challenges" have become a popular pursuit all over the world and BMSTC are now registered with Discover Adventure who take groups all over the world with the aim of fundraising for charity. So if you're looking for something a little different to raise money for BMSTC, then take a look at the link below :)
http://www.discoveradventure.com/

MS-CCSVI-UK video for Conference

This is the video used by MS-CCSVI-UK at the CCSVI Conference in Glasgow at the end of October.  There should be a video of the conference available soon,

To view click here.

New online emotional support service from MSRC

From the MSRC:
Everyone needs the opportunity to offload and ask questions and this is particularly
important if you have M.S. This is not a counselling service but we hope that we can point you in the right direction if you need advice or information.  From more click here. 

LDN Conference October 2010 Report

This was sent to me to share with you from Silvia Lane:  A comprehensive report from the Birmingham LDS Conference, October 2010. (Quite a few people at our Centre use LDN and find it really helpful :)

To read click here.

Welfare Benefits for Disabled People - 1st December 2010, Civic Centre Reading

The Physical Disabilities and Sensory Needs Network is proud to present

‘Welfare Benefits for Disabled People'

Find out about, Employment Support Allowance, Carers Benefits and Support, Withdrawal of Incapacity Benefits, Work Capacity, Assessments, Disability Living Allowance, Carers Benefits and support, Benefits Appeals and Advocacy, Benefits and concessions for People with Visual Impairments, Changes to Housing and Council Tax Benefiton Wednesday 1 December 2010 at Civic Offices, Readingfrom 10.00am - 2.15pm. Please book by 26 November 2010

Call: 0118 937 4114 or Email: pdsn@reading.gov.uk

Registration forms available at reception.

Reading Half Marathon - Sunday 20th March 2011.

Places for the Reading Half Marathon are filling up very quickly! We have a few free places left to give away to people who would like to run on behalf of the Centre, but please hurry to avoid disappointment! :)  Visit our webiste for more details - click here

A coming out story!

From The Independent:
Even her doctors advised Cathy John to keep her illness to herself. She explains why she’s decided to ‘come out’ – and hopes others will follow   Read article here.

A woman from Surrey's been given a unique chance to get behind the controls of a plane.

From ITV.com

A woman from Surrey's been given a unique chance to get behind the controls of a plane. Multiple Sclerosis sufferer Karen Davies was on board the six-seater Cessna with two pilots who've been campaigning to raise awareness of the disease. Glen Goodman was on board.  View here.

Drug victory for patients:

From the Mail online:
The scandal of patients being denied drugs just because the NHS rationing body decides they are too expensive will end, ministers have declared.


In a stunning victory for patients – following a campaign by the Daily Mail – the controversial organisation NICE will be stripped of its powers to ban drugs on the Health Service.

Read more: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-1325449/Drug-victory-patients-NICE-stripped-power-ban-life-saving-drugs.html?ito=feeds-newsxml#ixzz147GYZunz

Scottish research centre looks inside the human body

From the Scotsman:

A WORLD-leading research centre, based in Scotland, is using the latest scanning technology to help revolutionise the treatment of patients with serious diseases.


The £20 million facility in Edinburgh is looking at better ways of diagnosing and treating conditions including cancer, heart disease, multiple sclerosis and mental health problems.  Read more here.

NHS information strategy questioned

From the MS Trust:

A senior policy manager for the NHS confederation has raised concerns about a central part of the government's reforms of the health service in England. Read more here.

Implementation of personal care budgets falling behind targets

From the MS Trust:

The Audit Commission has warned that many councils are struggling to implement the scheme that allows people in need of social care control of their own care budget.  Read more here.

Telehealth scheme helps people with MS

From the MS Trust:
An innovative project is helping bring MS services from a specialist London hospital to people locally.
Neuroview involved consultations held via 'video clinics', allowing people with MS at St George's Hospital in Hornchurch to talk to experts at the National Hospital for Neurology and Neurosurgery in central London. Read more here.