CMSC and FCMSC award first Neuroscience/Multiple Sclerosis Scholarship to University of Texas Health Science Center student

SAN ANTONIO – The Consortium of Multiple Sclerosis Centers (CMSC) and the Foundation of the Consortium of Multiple Sclerosis Centers (FCMSC) today announced that University of Texas Health Science Center (UTHSC) student Nelda P. Itzep received the first F/CMSC’s medical education scholarship dedicated to advancing multiple sclerosis care and research. The 2010-2011 medical education scholarship was supported through a donation provided by Genzyme Corporation.

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
September 22, 2010

FCMSC MEDIA CONTACT:
Ken Slavin
210-736-0856
210-313-0597 (cell)
kslavin@satx.rr.com

GENZYME CORP. MEDIA CONTACT:
John Lacey
Associate Director, Corporate Communications
617-768-6690
john.lacey@genzyme.com

UTHSC CONTACT:
Nancy Arispe
(Other info)

2010-2011 MEDICAL EDUCATION PROGRAM SUPPORTED THROUGH GENZYME CORPORATION GIFT

“I am so grateful,” said Itzep, a second-year medical student at UTHSC’s School of Medicine in San Antonio, upon receiving the award. “It will help me achieve my dream of obtaining a doctor of medicine degree and to serve my community through my profession. I’ve always wanted to help others like so many people helped my family and me. I hope that someday I will have my own practice in which I can help underserved populations.”

“The scholarship committee was very impressed with Nelda’s academic qualifications, but also with how she overcame many obstacles in her life to pursue a medical career,” said Judith Katterhenrich of the FCMSC. “Her intense desire to help others through the practice of medicine and her interest in neurology were major factors in the committee’s decision. She is exactly the caliber of student we hope will choose a career in MS.”

Presenting Itzep with the $10,000 award were Katterhenrich and Duane Clark, Genzyme’s vice president of commercial operations for Multiple Sclerosis [image available]. Also participating in the ceremony were Dr. Robert M. Esterl, professor of surgery and associate dean for student affairs at UTHSC, and Dr. Suzanne Gazda, founding physician and director of the Neurology Institute of San Antonio, a CMSC member center providing Itzep with a clinical training session in addition to the scholarship.

“We are very proud to partner with the FCMSC and the CMSC,” Genzyme’s Duane Clark said. “By helping to fund medical scholarships, we can make a meaningful contribution to the future of MS research and education.”

The scholarship, administered by the FCMSC through its MS Workforce of the Future program, was created as a legacy of the CMSC/FCMSC annual meeting held in the Alamo City in June. The award assists a deserving medical student with an interest in neurology. The “Host City” grants provide both a $10,000 scholarship and as well as a preceptorship (a training session for future medical professionals) in a multiple sclerosis clinical care center.

Katterhenrich said Genzyme’s gift helps the FCMSC further its goal of supporting the mission of the CMSC and benefitting those affected by MS. “Educating future researchers and practitioners is key to providing MS patients with the high level of care provided by CMSC member centers – and eventually finding a cure. Generous grants such as Genzyme’s will help us achieve those goals,” she said.

In the past year alone, FCMSC has provided more than two dozen medical students with the opportunity to participate in MS-related research projects and present the results of their work at the annual meeting of the CMSC.

For more information on FCMSC opportunities, visit the organizations website at http://www.cmscfoundation.org.

ABOUT CMSC
The Consortium of Multiple Sclerosis Centers (CMSC) mission is to be the preeminent professional organization for Multiple Sclerosis healthcare providers and researchers in North America, and a valued partner in the global MS community. Its core purpose is to maximize the ability of MS healthcare providers to impact care of people who are affected by MS, thus improving their quality of life.

The CMSC includes a network of more than 150 MS Member Centers, more than 50 Veterans Administration programs, as well as several hundred individual members worldwide. No other professional association brings together as many disciplines with the sole purpose of caring for MS patients. For more information about the CMSC, please visit www.mscare.org.

ABOUT FCMSC
The Foundation of the CMSC (FCMSC) is a not-for-profit organization dedicated to supporting the mission of the Consortium of Multiple Sclerosis Centers (CSMC) and its members. Since its founding in 1999 as a 501(c)(3) charitable organization, the foundation has supported the CMSC in four principal, mission-driven projects:

Scholarships, Fellowships and Professional Resources providing training resources to support professional growth and excellence among active MS healthcare professionals
Developing the MS Workforce of the Future training and mentorship opportunities for new MS clinicians and emerging scientists
Increasing Research and Resources to enhance the quality of life and raise the level of care for those affected by MS, and
Support for the CMSC Global MS Patient Registry, the largest MS patient-driven database in the world.

FCMSC supports the ultimate goal shared by patients and professionals alike: Finding a cure. Building the future of MS through access to comprehensive services and expert researchers now and in the future will ensure that the understanding and care of this complex disease continues to improve until a cure can be found. FCMSC is governed by a voluntary and active Board of Directors who are thought leaders in the field of MS care and research.

ABOUT GENZYME CORPORATION
One of the world’s leading biotechnology companies, Genzyme is dedicated to making a major positive impact on the lives of people with serious diseases. Since 1981, the company has grown from a small start-up to a diversified enterprise with more than 12,000 employees in locations spanning the globe and 2009 revenues of $4.5 billion.

With many established products and services helping patients in approximately 100 countries, Genzyme is a leader in the effort to develop and apply the most advanced technologies in the life sciences. The company’s products and services are focused on rare inherited disorders, kidney disease, orthopedics, cancer, transplant and immune disease. Genzyme’s commitment to innovation continues today with a substantial development program focused on these fields, as well as cardiovascular disease, neurodegenerative diseases, and other areas of unmet medical need.

ABOUT MULTIPLE SCLEROSIS
Multiple sclerosis (or MS) is a chronic, often disabling disease that attacks the central nervous system (CNS), which is made up of the brain, spinal cord, and optic nerves. Symptoms may be mild, such as numbness in the limbs, or severe, such as paralysis or loss of vision. The progress, severity, and specific symptoms of MS are unpredictable and vary from one person to another. Today, new treatments and advances in research are giving new hope to people affected by the disease.

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2010-2011 MEDICAL EDUCATION PROGRAM SUPPORTED THROUGH GENZYME CORPORATION GIFT