Inspired to Support Our Mission
By Scott Fremont, Vice President of Development
and Susan Wells Courtney, Senior Writer & Creative Director
MSAA is guided by a Board of Directors that brings together unique and diverse backgrounds to its leadership role in helping MSAA continue to provide needed support for the MS community. One of the board’s primary goals is to support MSAA’s work to strategically target emerging areas of need.
In this issue’s “Thoughts About Giving” column, we feature two members of MSAA’s Board of Directors, Dr. Terrie Livingston and Kevin Stockton. Each has a very special connection to MSAA and both are enthusiastic in sharing their perspectives on MSAA and how it makes a positive impact on the MS community.
Dr. Terrie Livingston is the Vice President of Medical Affairs at Octave Bioscience with more than 25 years of experience in the pharmaceutical and biotech industries. Diagnosed with multiple sclerosis in 2006, Terrie’s professional dedication is deeply intertwined with her personal journey.
“Twenty years ago, my life changed forever when I received my MS diagnosis… but my path to that diagnosis wasn’t immediate,” Terrie notes. “As a minority patient, it took a painful, three-year diagnostic journey just to get answers. That period of uncertainty sparked a fire in me to change the narrative of this disease. I have dedicated my career in Medical Affairs to pushing the boundaries of biotech and pharma, striving to advance the research that will define our future.”
Kevin Stockton is a strategy, marketing, and sales executive with 25 years of leadership experience. Most recently, Kevin served as Senior Vice President and Head of Strategy, Business Development, and Cybersecurity for the Americas at Siemens Healthineers. Kevin was diagnosed with MS in 2014, and due to his professional background, knew MSAA through our MRI program.
Kevin explains, “Helping people get the critical, but very expensive, diagnostic imaging they need, especially if they are uninsured or poorly insured, was near and dear to my heart. My decision to join MSAA’s Board of Directors came at a good time in my life, as I was looking for ways to give back to the MS community, given that I have had MS for over a decade now. MSAA’s patient focus truly resonates with me. MSAA is an organization without equal when it comes to providing services and support for the MS community.”
Sharing the Unique Ways in which MSAA Serves the MS Community
“I did not initially realize the breadth and depth of the programs offered by MSAA, and now that I do, I find it to be amazing,” Kevin shares. “MSAA truly understands what individuals with MS need at the time they need those services. MS is a long road and it can be very different for each individual, so having a comprehensive array of programs and support available at different points of one’s journey is critical.”
Terrie concurs, “What stands out to me is how deeply MSAA understands that the MS journey is never a straight line… it is a path of unique challenges and quiet victories. I’ve seen firsthand how MSAA acts as a beacon of hope for the nearly one million people living with MS in the United States, actively working to bridge gaps in care. MSAA focuses on reclaiming the quality of life that people with MS deserve right now, even as we work toward future clinical breakthroughs.”
Encouraging Others to Become Involved with MSAA
“Our community is at its strongest when we stand together,” states Terrie. “Looking out at the MS community, I don’t just see individuals facing a diagnosis – instead, I see a powerful, resilient village. Getting involved with MSAA connects you to a collective force that is actively shifting the narrative of this disease. Your voice, your story, and your presence add to our shared strength. Together, we ensure that no one has to navigate these complexities alone.”
Kevin adds, “Individuals can get involved as much or as little as they wish. Regardless of where you are in your MS journey, having a community to support you – and for you to support the community – will make your life and the management of your disease better. While there is no substitute for one’s clinical care team, there is a tremendous amount of collective wisdom from within the MS community… and I really believe that MSAA is one of the best sources to tap into that collective wisdom.”
Support from the MS Community Helps Fund Urgent Programs and Services
“All of MSAA’s programs and services can only happen through the generous support of our donors,” Kevin emphasizes. “Money enables the mission. It is critical to receive any support we can – big or small from our donors – to not only keep MSAA’s vital programs and services in place, but to also expand what MSAA can do in the future.”
Terrie explains, “Donor generosity is the literal fuel for MSAA’s mission. As a clinician and researcher, I look at clinical progress, but as a board member, I see how donor support is the direct link to improving daily lives. Your support is the reason a newly diagnosed individual can find clarity instead of fear. It directly funds the free programs, critical MRIs, and vital safety equipment that allow people to reclaim their independence. When you support MSAA, you are directly investing in someone’s ability to live their life to the fullest today.”