Lincoln, DE – July 14, 2016 – Myositis Support and Understanding Association, Inc. (MSU) launches its long-awaited Myositis Patient Financial Assistance Program in celebration of its one-year anniversary as a non-profit. MSU, a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization founded on July 30, 2015 for patients dealing with Myositis, a rare and debilitating neuromuscular disease, affecting an estimated 50,000-75,000 people in the United States. This program adds to the ever-growing list of services MSU offers to patients to provide day-to-day support to help patients cope with Myositis.
Emily Filmore, Vice President of MSU says, “As a patient who is personally dealing with how my Myositis affects every aspect of our personal finances, from medical bills, to traveling for specialist visits, to lost career opportunities, to the effects I have seen on my husband’s career, to money we have lost indirectly due to life’s modifications, I am ecstatic to be a part of starting this program to assist other patients in the financial difficulties of the Myositis journey. My hope is that we can ease some of the logistical burdens and allow them to concentrate on what really matters, managing their health.”
Due to the rarity of the disease, and the fact that many doctors may only see one patient, if any, with Myositis in their careers, patients with Myositis and those suspected of having Myositis often face difficulties in procuring an expedient diagnosis and adequate treatment. Furthermore, patients with chronic illnesses often face financial difficulties due to ongoing medical bills, lost wages, and extraneous expenses indirectly related to healthcare such as home modifications. Therefore, MSU has worked tirelessly to raise funds to establish this Myositis Patient Financial Assistance Program. Through it, MSU will provide funds to patients for travel to see known myositis experts for diagnosis and treatment, help with medical expenses, and help with emergency household expenses incurred due to the overwhelming costs of living with a chronic illness. This new addition to MSU’s support programs is part of their ongoing #MyositisLIFE campaign to improve day-to-day lives of Myositis patients.
Financial assistance applications are now available to patients suspected of or having one of the subtypes of Myositis (Idiopathic Inflammatory Myopathies), including Polymyositis, Dermatomyositis, Inclusion Body Myositis, Juvenile Dermatomyositis, and Juvenile Polymyositis.
MSU hopes through these funds to provide much needed financial relief to patients whose lives are already stressed due to illness, allowing them to more fully concentrate on their health. Patients who qualify will be eligible for a maximum of $1000 per year, based on a number of factors outlined on the application and on our Financial Assistance webpage. Applications are available at UnderstandingMyositis.org/financialassistance.
Jerry Williams, the Founder and President of MSU says, “It is exciting to see what we as a non-profit organization have accomplished in just under one year. Financial assistance was one of our main priorities to help alleviate financial stress for Myositis patients so they can focus on better health. I believe this speaks volumes to the fact that MSU is an all volunteer-managed organization made up entirely of Myositis patients and caregivers, providing us a unique view of what is needed in the Myositis community.”
MSU’s mission is:
Myositis Support and Understanding (MSU) is dedicated to improving the lives of Myositis patients through public policy, self-advocacy programs, need-based financial assistance for medical-related expenses, and to provide support and education to patients, caregivers, healthcare providers, the general public, and legislators about Myositis.
MSU will foster direct involvement with other Myositis organizations to help promote treatment innovation and research with our collective eyes on a cure and provide financial support to organizations that share similar visions.
MSU was founded by Myositis patients, for Myositis patients, and operates all of its programs through the work of an all-volunteer Board of Directors and member volunteers, and the generous donations of members, friends, and supporters. All donations made within the United States are tax-deductible under IRS Tax Code Section 501(c)(3). To make your tax-deductible donation visit UnderstandingMyositis.org/donate.
To learn more about Myositis and its subtypes, please visit UnderstandingMyositis.org
Media Contact:
Jerry Williams
Founder/President
Myositis Support and Understanding
Tags: myositis press release
