Ok, it’s Friday afternoon and everyone is thinking weekend and nice weather. I beg that you take 3 minutes to read this and 3 more minutes to make a secure online donation.

Plain and simple, yes, I have Multiple Sclerosis. Yes, I have become an active member of the National MS Society, and on and on it goes. This is not about me. Yesterday I participated in the National Health Council Town Hall Meeting here in Pittsburgh. There are 100 million Americans represented by this organization and yes that means you or a family member is also represented. The topic of discussion was the 47 million individuals that are uninsured AND the hundreds of millions of others that are underinsured. This organization is headed up by 20 CEO’s from the major health organizations, ie Breast Cancer, Leukemia, Parkinson’s, ALS, Alzheimer’s, Arthritis, Diabetes, American Heart Association, and you get the picture. They are sending a very LOUD message to the next President that health care is a huge issue for everyone. Economics and Health Care do not mix yet many are forced to decide to go to the doctor because of a co pay.

Multiple Sclerosis affects over 6,000 people in Western PA, 20,000 people in Pennsylvania, and over 400,000 people in the United States. There is no cure. There are disease modifying medications that can slow progression. These drugs cost over $25,000 per year. Just think if your co pay for a brand name prescription is 20% of the cost, you would only have to pay $5,000 a year!!! Many can not afford this and are forced to forgo the only drugs that can slow the progression. Tom is a bagger at my local Giant Eagle and has Multiple Sclerosis. He works 20 hours a week and is confined to a wheel chair. His co pay for his medication is $500 per month. Tom barely makes $500 per month, therefore Tom makes up his own medication regiment using over the counter vitamins and minerals. The system has failed Tom yet he is the happiest talkative person you will meet in that store.

The money I’m asking you to donate goes directly to helping the individuals like Tom. MS is near and dear to my heart because it is now a part of my life. Tom is part of my life as well. We have the same disease and I consider him my extended family. It is the end of a busy week but on Sunday I will walk 1 mile without an assistive devise for the first time in over 2 years in honor of Tom. Why? Because I want to give hope to my extended family that there are people that care about them. I’m not talking about the ones that say they care; I’m talking about the ones that act upon it. Please, from me to you, make a donation to an organization that helps my extended family.

Follow this link to make a donation http://main.nationalmssociety.org/goto/johnplatt

THANK YOU!

John Platt