The Annette Funicello MS funds supplied by the non-profit organization set up in 1993 have enhanced the lives of many. All of the funds collected through the Annette Funicello Multiple Sclerosis group are put to good use in researching MS as much as possible and performing clinical trials. This group is known as The Annette Funicello Research Fund for Neurological Diseases and is managed by Annette’s husband.
Annette Funicello made her way into the hearts of many as a Mouseketeer and later in beach-themed films with Frankie Avalon. It was actually during the filming of one of these ‘summer fun’ beach flicks that the MS symptoms began to emerge. The initial set of symptoms started in 1987, but it wasn’t until 1992 that Annette finally decided to tell the public about her condition. The following year is when she and her husband started the non-profit organization to assist others with MS as much as possible. Providing financial assistance to researchers looking for ways to cure MS is the main focus of the group.
Most of the proceeds from the Annette Funicello Collectible Bear Company and her line of perfume also go towards MS research. Through these two endeavors and the Fund for Neurological Diseases, Annette is able to collect money from individuals, corporations, families, and organizations. Her research fund falls among others on the list of the 50 largest foundations across the nation.
Early Signs of MS
The initial diagnosis of MS is generally called for after a series of symptoms arise. People who are concerned with the strange or abnormal sensations they have or a sudden and somewhat constant onset of fatigue tend to become alarmed enough to see a doctor for consultation. Approximately 200 new MS patients are diagnosed each week in the United States alone. Many patients complain of numbness or tingling in a limb or multiple limbs for extended periods of time. They might exhibit additional early signs of MS, such as a loss of balance, blurred vision, muscle spasms, lack of coordination, or a loss of complete bladder control.
A difficult part of MS is that not everyone displays the most common symptoms of all; sometimes each person’s body will react in a unique manner to the disease and atypical symptoms might arise. Possible, but less common signs include; cognitive difficulties and sudden paralysis in one or multiple limbs. The Annette Funicello MS fund hopes to help find a cure and eliminate the need to diagnose MS in the future. People who are able to contribute to the Annette Funicello Multiple Sclerosis fund or any other MS non-profit organization are helping researchers get that much closer to eradicating this autoimmune disease.
