Patty Martin and Marilyn Gonzalez are passionate about wine, music, sisterhood and finding a cure for multiple sclerosis - not necessarily in that order.
The sisters will pursue their passion for all four at the second annual Corks and Chords to benefit the National MS Society of Southern Arizona.
"That is why we do what we do: Our hope and prayer is that someday they will find a cure for MS," said Gonzalez, who joined the fundraiser planning committee with Martin and longtime friend Henri Carpentier.
The sisters' mutual support of the National MS Society began in 1997, after Martin was diagnosed with the chronic autoimmune disease, in which the body attacks the myelin sheaths that surround nerves. The resulting damage and scarring impair the central nervous system, causing a wide range of problems, many debilitating.
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Martin, 60, suffers from Relapsing-Remitting MS, which accounts for 85 percent of diagnoses and is characterized by attacks or flare-ups, followed by partial or complete recovery periods. The vice president of operations for a credit union was forced into disability in 2002 by cognitive impairment, fatigue, weakness and balance problems.
"MS has affected every aspect of my life, from my career to my personal life and my personal relationships. … There was a point when I woke up one morning paralyzed from the waist down. I was in a wheelchair and it took a month for me to get the feeling back in my legs to be able to walk again.
"But I feel myself to be very fortunate because there are other people that suffer from MS and they are much worse off than I am, so I feel very blessed," she said.
Martin said she also feels blessed by her younger sister's ongoing support, which has included driving with her on the move from Northern California to Tucson in 2005 and acting as chauffeur to doctor appointments. Gonzalez routinely drops by with flowers, groceries and small gifts during Martin's flare-ups.
Gonzalez said she admires Martin's tremendous strength and optimism.
"She is a master at that. She lets MS get her down only for a very short time and then picks herself up by her bootstraps," she said.
Martin credits educational materials and information from the National MS Society for contributing to her positive outlook. The Arizona chapter of the organization provides education, emergency financial assistance, care management, self-help and support groups, including chair yoga classes, funding for MS research and other community resources.
Erin Ulloa, development manager of the Tucson Regional Office of the National MS Society Arizona Chapter, said collaborations with physicians, neurologists, health-care providers and facilities such as HealthSouth, Carondelet, University Medical Center and the Center for Neurosciences result in high-quality, creative programming.
Ulloa emphasized that programming can be particularly helpful for newly diagnosed clients struggling with the individuality of MS, which manifests itself in many different ways.
The organization's outreach and promotion of MS awareness can help combat feelings of isolation and depression, Martin said.
"I had been active, had done lots of volunteer work and had a successful career, and all of it was slipping away. I never asked, 'Why me?' as much as I felt defective. They helped me to understand that I am OK. I am not defective," Martin said.
Contact freelance writer Loni Nannini at ninch2@comcast.net
