LOCAL NON-PROFIT LAUNCHES FITNESS PROGRAM TO BENEFIT PEOPLE LIVING WITH MULTIPLE SCLEROSIS
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:
Contact: Brian Murrill
(336) 464-6604
msfitfoundation@gmail.com
WINSTON-SALEM, NC, OCTOBER 20 – MSfit announced today the launch of a new free fitness program designed to enhance the quality of life of people living with multiple sclerosis (MS). MSfit will hold an Open House on October 23, 2014 at the Gateway YWCA at 1pm to discuss the exciting details of the partnership with the YWCA.
MS is the most common disabling neurological disease of young adults in the U.S. Most people with MS are diagnosed between the ages of 20 and 50, with at least two to three times more women than men being diagnosed with the disease. MS affects more than 2.5 million people worldwide.
This unique program combines range of motion, aquatic, aerobic, and balance exercises. MSfit works with the Gateway YWCA, fitness & wellness specialists to deliver a program that was created to improve: mood, muscle strength, mobility, stamina, cardiovascular health, and cognitive function. Brian Murrill, founder of MSfit, created the program over a year ago in honor of his mother who was diagnosed with MS in 1995.
“My original goal was to create a program that would directly address the physical & emotional needs of people living with MS,” Murrill said.
A strong working relationship with the YWCA, the National MS Society, and local physicians will be a key element to the success of MSfit. “
As a new program in our community, MSFit is creating a wonderful opportunity for people to learn from health professionals, fitness and wellness experts,” said Mark Scheerer, Chapter Programs Manager for the National MS Society.
People living with MS that lack physical activity may experience an increased risk of depression, poor balance, fatigue, and secondary diseases such as heart disease, diabetes, and obesity. Studies show that exercise not only improves your overall health and well-being, but can also help to manage and reduce many MS symptoms.
Matthew Aloi, diagnosed with MS in 2010, said, “As a person living with MS, I have noticed that I feel much better when I exercise on a regular basis. I believe a program like MSfit, which focuses on helping those living with MS exercise, would be hugely beneficially and most certainly have a tremendous impact on their quality of life and probably even the course of their disease.”
In addition to fitness and wellness, MSfit has joined forces with the Physical Therapy Department at Winston-Salem State University to be able to offer graduate level students the hands on experience assessing participants and monitoring their progress throughout the program.
Dr. Sara Migliarese, a Physical Therapy Professor at Winston-Salem State University, said, “While chronic illness and disease may seem unbeatable and irreversible, like MS, the appropriate exercise regimen can offer hope. MSfit provides an avenue to both the recommended physical therapy assessment and the exercise!”
Other MSfit activities include wellness, nutrition, and general MS education that will help enhance the quality of life for participants and their families.
“When you support MSfit you are empowering people to move beyond their MS by giving them the knowledge, skills, tools and confidence to adopt healthy lifestyle behaviors, actively comanage their disease and live their best lives through health and wellness, Murrill said. “MSfit is committed to providing support, where it is needed it most. Together we directly impact the MS community.”
