For families living with Multiple Sclerosis, here’s a free virtual “The Talk” event just for you! Register today for “Multiple Sclerosis …. Speaking to Your Family About Your Disease” to get insights from Dr. Aaron Boster and four families nationwide who are living with MS and understand your realities.
The online event is scheduled for 8 p.m. EST Wednesday, Sept. 30. For real: MS can be difficult to explain to your family… especially to your children and your parents. The Talk will look at how different generations cope with this issue and give you perspectives on how to deal with these challenges.
Here’s a look at the panelists who will share their experiences. Check them out, and register now.
Featured speaker
Dr. Aaron Boster
Founder of The Boster Center for Multiple Sclerosis and leading MS vlogger
Dr. Boster is a board-certified Neurologist specializing in Multiple Sclerosis and related CNS inflammatory disorders. He decided to become an MS doctor at age 12, as he watched his uncle Mark suffer from the disease in an era before treatment was available. Dr. Boster grew up in Columbus, Ohio, and attended undergraduate at Oberlin College. He earned his MD at University of Cincinnati College of medicine and completed an internship in Internal Medicine and Residency in Neurology at the University of Michigan. He then completed a two-year fellowship in Clinical Neuroimmunology at Wayne State University. Since then, Dr. Boster has been intimately involved in the care of people impacted by Multiple Sclerosis; He has been a principal investigator in numerous Clinical Trials, trained multiple MS Doctors and Nurse Practitioners, published extensively in medical journals. He lectures to both patients and providers world-wide with a mission to EDUCATE, ENERGIZE and EMPOWER people impacted by MS. He lives in Columbus, Ohio with his wife, Krissy, son Maxwell and daughter Betty Mae.
Conversation moderator
Brenda Miller
MS certified nurse and MS patient
Brenda Miller came into nursing as a second career in 2013 after first obtaining a bachelor’s degree in history and economics. She has been working with the MS Center of Greater Washington since February, 2014 as an RN and MSCN. She finished her MSN-FNP degree in August, 2020 and will continue to work at the MS Center as a nurse practitioner. She has four children and has called northern Virginia her home since 1993.
Featured families
Karrie Anderson and her son, Kellen, and husband, Cris
Karrie Anderson is the founder of MS Moments who tirelessly advocates for Iowa families living with Multiple Sclerosis. MS Moments is helping over 120 Iowa families with grants for health club memberships, acupuncture, medical massage, yoga and monthly educational dinners. As a wife, mom, daughter, sister, aunt and friend living with Multiple Sclerosis for more than ten years, her advocacy efforts span from Iowa to Washington, D.C. Through her effort to help others, the National MS Society, Upper Midwest Chapter named her Advocate of the Year and honored her with their Hope Award in 2018. She proudly served on their Board of Trustees for five years. She lives in Urbandale, Iowa with her husband, Cris, and son, Kellen, and they all adore their soft-coated wheaten terriers, Maggie and Wrigley and their Australian Shepherd, Zeus.
Wanda Terrell and her daughter, Tazia
Wanda Terrell was born in Washington, D.C., and moved Flint, Michigan, in 1977. During her early teens, she began to experience different symptoms but did not realize what they were. She moved to California after graduating high school in 1985. Due to a family emergency, she abruptly returned to Washington, D.C., and joined the Army later that year. Wanda always felt something was wrong while in the military, but couldn’t pinpoint it. In May 1990, she was discharged from the Army. In July 1990, she lost vision in her right eye and eventually was diagnosed with MS. She had never heard of MS and asked the doctor how long she had to live. He responded that it was not going to kill her, but it would alter her life. She had her daughter, Tazia, in November 1992, and Wanda with MS is all Tazia has ever known. Wanda now lives in Hawaii. Her sister was diagnosed with MS in 2012 and now Tazia thinks she may also have it.
Justin Weiss and his daughter, Megan, and wife, Nancy
Justin lives in Long Island, New York, and was 35 years old when he was diagnosed. His daughter, Megan, was 5. She now is 17 years old, which is around the same age Justin was when his mother also was diagnosed with MS. While his mother didn’t talk about her MS a lot, Justin does nothing to hide it from Megan. In fact, Megan has been an active member of Justin’s MS walk and bike team, Team Phoenix, each year since he was diagnosed. Through activities like bake sales, trampoline dodgeball and an annual Epic Bar Event, Team Phoenix has been a leading fundraising team for the National Multiple Sclerosis Society.
Channing Barker and her mother, Patti
At 16 years old, Channing Barker was diagnosed with relapsing remitting MS in 2006. She visualizes a world free of MS for everyone impacted by this disease and has since volunteered countless hours to work toward that end at events and in public policy as an MS Activist at the state and federal levels. Channing serves as the Director of Communications for Benton County, Arkansas, and volunteers as a member of the Northwest Arkansas Community Leadership Council for Single Parent Scholarship Fund. She and her adorable dog, Benny, live in Northwest Arkansas. Patti has joined Channing in leading the fight against MS and, among other roles, serves as an MS Activist in Oklahoma and is a member of the steering committee for the Uncorking the Cure for MS event in Tulsa.