Media Contacts:
Connie Irons
301-564-4090 (day), 301-230-1778 (evenings)
[email protected]
Kimberly Sclarsky/Amy Losak
Porter Novelli
212-601-8287/8233
[email protected]
[email protected]
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Man Swimming the Length of the Mississippi River For Multiple Sclerosis
Nick Irons' Four Month, 1550 Mile Journey to Help His Dad
First Person to Accomplish Feat Since 1930
Scheduled to Complete Swim in Baton Rouge on September 26
Bethesda, Maryland (September 24, 1997) On June 1, 1997, 25-year old Nick Irons entered the brisk waters of the mighty Mississippi River in Minneapolis, Minnesota, and embarked on a four-month, 1550-mile swim. His destination: Baton Rouge, Louisiana. His mission: to raise awareness of the neurological disease multiple sclerosis (MS) and to raise money for MS research. His inspiration: a father who has lived with MS for over a decade.
Since starting his Mississippi Swim for Multiple Sclerosis (MS4MS), Nick has averaged more than 15 miles a day, swimming six days a week. He reached St. Louis, MO, the unofficial halfway point, on July 27 and passed the 1000 mile mark in mid-August. He is now on target to arrive in Baton Rouge on his father's birthday, September 26.
"Deep in my heart, I always wished I could do something to help my father. Over the last few years, I noticed that MS was taking an increasing toll on his ability to walk and get around. Then, one day during a long swim it dawned on me: I could use the sport I love so much to raise money to find a cure -- to help my father and other people with multiple sclerosis. The swim is my way of making a difference," explained Nick.
A collegiate swimmer at Boston College, Nick started planning for his Mississippi River swim 18 months ago. He conducted the bulk of his training in Los Angeles, where he most recently lived and worked as a production assistant and a coach of a Masters swim team.
The Mississippi River swim has become a collective family effort. Nick's younger brother, Andrew, is escorting him for the duration in a small boat. His older brother, John, Jr., maintains an MS4MS website (ms4ms.com) from his home near Boston. Nick's parents, John and Connie Irons, coordinate swim logistics from their home in Bethesda, MD, where John is a practicing physician and Connie manages the office.
But the Irons family also stresses that MS is a challenge to be met. Like most people with MS, Nick's father lives an active life with only limited disability. "Multiple sclerosis has slowed me down, but it has not affected the quality of my life. I am still working as a physician and I have a busy medical practice." Dr. Irons said.
"New treatments are now available that give hope to all of us with multiple sclerosis. Unlike just a few years ago, it's now possible to delay the progression of disability that normally occurs with the disease, instead of just waiting for physical decline. This makes obtaining a proper diagnosis and getting treated as quickly as possible more important than ever," he added. Dr. Irons is on a therapy called Avonex (tm).
However, there is currently no cure for MS and Nick is swimming to raise money to fund reseach to find the cure.
Since starting his swim, Nick has been touched by the heartwarming response he has received all along the way. "When people hear I am swimming down the Mississippi River, their first reaction is shock, but once they understand why I am doing it, they become extremely supportive," he said.
Nick has already raised more than $150,000 for MS research from thousands of people who have heard about his swim, but he has hopes of raising several times that amount. "It's been gratifying getting support from people who otherwise would not have thought about MS. There are a lot of people who knew about the disease, but never had any incentive to donate or to help the cause. When they see what I'm doing, it inspires them to help," he said.
There is currently no cure for MS and Nick is swimming to raise money to fund research to find the cure. All money raised through Nick's swim is being donated to the Nancy Davis Foundation, a philanthropy based in Los Angeles that solely funds multiple sclerosis research.
Anyone interested in supporting MS4MS can call 1-888-MS4MS97 (1-888-674-6797). Donations can also be sent directly to MS4MS97, P.O. Box 39132, Washington, D.C. 20016. Checks should be made payable to The Nancy Davis Foundation.
Fact Sheet: Multiple Sclerosis
What is multiple sclerosis (MS)? Multiple sclerosis is a chronic disease of the central nervous system in which most patients suffer physical disability over time. An estimated 350,000 Americans have MS, with nearly 200 new cases diagnosed every week. The disease most often strikes people in the 20's and 30's. Women develop MS more frequently than men.
What causes MS? The exact cause of MS is unknown. However, the disease is believed to be caused by an autoimmune destruction of myelin. Myelin is a fatty substance that surrounds and protects nerve fibers of the brain and spinal cord in the same way that insulation protects electrical wires. When any part of this myelin is destroyed, nerve impulses are interrupted and distorted. The result is multiple sclerosis--multiple because many scattered parts of the brain and spinal cord are affected; sclerosis because sclerosed or hardened patches of scar tissue form over the damaged myelin.
What are the symptoms of MS? Symptoms of MS vary, but may include: weakness, numbness, fatigue, vision problems, slurred speech, poor coordination, short-term memory loss, depression and bladder or bowel dysfunction. These symptoms may occur in any combination and can vary from very mild to very severe.
What is the general pattern of the disease? Symptoms vary widely from time to time in the same person. In general, however, the typical pattern of MS is marked by periods of active disease called exacerbations and symptom-free periods called remissions. Some people may have an initial attack and no recurrence afterward. Others have relapsing disease, which means they have exacerbations that may occur on an average one or two times a year. Still others experience a progressive form of MS. MS is not contagious and is rarely fatal.
Are there any effective treatments for MS? Yes. Treatments have recently become available that can significantly affect the course of MS, especially if the disease is diagnosed and treated early. It is now possible to both slow the progression of disability associated with the disease, as well as reduce the number of neurological attacks or exacerbations. There is currently no cure for MS.
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