National Campaign: Uniting For a Cure of Rare Disease - June is Myasthenia Gravis Awareness Month
Online, March 22, 2010 (Newswire.com) - FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
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Stephanie Fraiman/Kellen Communications
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JUNE IS MYASTHENIA GRAVIS AWARENESS MONTH
National Campaign: Uniting For a Cure of Rare Disease
New York, NY (March 22, 2010) - June 2010 marks the tenth annual "MG Awareness Month," a nationwide movement created by the Myasthenia Gravis Foundation of America, Inc. (MGFA) to raise awareness of the often misunderstood and under-diagnosed disease, Myasthenia Gravis (MG). MG strikes people of all ages, races, and genders and there is no known cure.
The campaign theme, "Uniting for a Cure: Together we are Stronger," is a call to action to patients, the medical community and advocates to come together to eradicate MG. The goals of this campaign are to promote an understanding of the scope of this disease, and to further MGFA's mission in providing information and support to people with MG through research, education, community programs, and advocacy. A key priority for MGFA is to raise funds for research to find a cure and improve treatments for those with this disease.
MG is an autoimmune neuromuscular disease that affects voluntary muscles. Myasthenia gravis means "grave muscle weakness." Symptoms include weakness in muscles that control eye movements and eyelids, chewing, swallowing, coughing, facial expressions, arm and leg movements, and breathing.
The prevalence of MG is thought to be much higher than the approximate 70,000 Americans affected by the condition. As a rare disease, it is frequently under-diagnosed due to symptoms similar to other disorders.
MGFA is the only national volunteer health agency dedicated solely to the fight against the debilitating disease, myasthenia gravis. MGFA currently has a network of chapters throughout the United States, with MG support communities in many local areas. To learn more about MG and how you may help, visit www.myasthenia.org or call MGFA at 1-800-541-5454.
About The Myasthenia Gravis Foundation of America
Founded in 1952, the Myasthenia Gravis Foundation of America (MGFA) is the only national volunteer health agency dedicated solely to the fight against the debilitating disease, myasthenia gravis. MGFA is committed to finding a cure for myasthenia gravis and closely related diseases, improving treatment options and providing information and support to people with myasthenia gravis through research, education, community programs, and advocacy. MGFA has 25 chapters in the United States serving patients, their families and caregivers through support groups and educational programs. For more information, please visit http://www.myasthenia.org.
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