News
MyState Financial and MS Society making dreams come true
Posted on Thursday, 11 March 2010
Eighteen year-old Matthew Bester has always wanted to parachute skydive in order to face his greatest fear and achieve one of his biggest goals. However when Matthew was diagnosed with multiple sclerosis the opportunity to skydive seemed like an unattainable dream.
The MS Society of Tasmania has been awarded funds from the MyState Financial Foundation for the MyState MySport project, providing financial assistance for families living with multiple sclerosis (MS). The project provides opportunities for children who have parents affected by MS, or like Matthew, living with MS themselves, to participate in activities of their choice such as sporting, cultural or artistic pursuits.
MyState Financial Foundation Chairman Tim Gourlay said, “MyState Financial Foundation was extremely pleased to provide $5000 to the MS Society of Tasmania to enable young people to participate in physical activities. What Matthew is doing is both inspirational and uplifting – skydiving. Matthew proves that whatever disease or disability anybody suffers, you don’t have to stop doing what you love or what you aspire to achieve.”
Matthew is feeling excited about the opportunity given to him, but is also a little apprehensive. “I’m feeling pretty nervous about it all, but it should be a good adrenalin rush” he said.
“We know that a diagnosis of multiple sclerosis affects the whole family,” said MS Society CEO, Heather Francis. “Learning to live with the physical symptoms and dealing with the unpredictable nature of MS are both factors that require adjustments across the family. Research shows the financial stress that often accompanies MS can be significant, so working in partnership with MyState Financial to offer opportunities to these families has been particularly rewarding.”
Many people are unaware that over 600 people living in Tasmania are diagnosed with Multiple Sclerosis, and numbers are on the increase. Tasmania has the highest incidence of MS in Australia, and the MS Society of Tasmania continually work towards reducing the impact of MS on clients, their families and carers, and by working towards finding a cure.
Matthew will land approximately 12 noon near the Hobart Regatta Grounds car park on 10th February 2010.
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