March’s recipient of the employee Pay it Forward funds, Field Services Dispatcher Brian McCall, paid forward $500 to a The Myasthenia Gravis Foundation of America, the only national volunteer health agency in the United States dedicated solely to the fight against myasthenia gravis.
“This cause is important to me because my mother in law fought valiantly against this disease for 13 years,” said Brian.
Myasthenia gravis, or MG, is a chronic autoimmune neuromuscular disorder that is characterized by fluctuating weakness of the voluntary muscle groups.
Brian added symptoms that his mother in law, Kay Powers suffered were, “double vision, drooping eyelids, and trouble walking, talking and breathing.”
According to the Foundation, there is no known cure for MG, but there are effective treatments that allow many-but not all-people with MG to lead full lives.
The Myasthenia Gravis Foundation of America offers information about national conferences, clinical trials, charitable patient financial assistance programs, and links to events such as the 2018 MG Walk and a Webinar Series. Visit myasthenia.org for information.
At a local level, there will be a blood drive in memory of Kay Powers on April 21 from 7 a.m. to 12 p.m. at New Prospect Baptist Church located at 4996 US Hwy 221 S, Laurens, SC 29360.
Through Laurens Electric’s Pay It Forward program, every Cooperative employee is entered into a random drawing to receive $500 to pay forward in any way they choose. Each month a new name is drawn, and the employee then has one month to apply the funds toward their own act of kindness.
This initiative is budget-neutral; the funds will come from Laurens Electric’s charity events, which employee volunteers make possible.
