Official Visit Unity Lodge #376 – Feb. 13, 2008
By R.W. Bro. Harold J. Johnson, DDGM

Multiple Sclerosis

Brethren tonight I am going to address the topic of Multiple Sclerosis which as you are undoubtedly aware is our district project for this year. This particular charity was chosen as my project because it has affected some close personal friends and has debilitated them to the point that they are mere caricatures of their former healthy beings. This insidious disease is multi faceted. It ranges from the relatively benign to somewhat disabling to devastating. It is a disease of the central nervous system and disrupts communication between the brain and other parts of the body. It is thought to be an autoimmune disease by some experts in the field or a defensive attack by the body against its own tissues.

The nerve insulating myelin is what comes under attack.

The first symptoms of the disease are generally experienced between the ages of 20 and 40 and appear initially as blurred or double vision, red-green colour distortion or perhaps blindness in one eye.

Most patients experience muscle weakness in the extremities and difficulty in coordination and balance. In worst case scenarios this can be severe enough to impair walking or standing. Most people with M. S. experience transitory abnormal sensory feelings such as numbness, prickling or pins and needles sensations.

Still others may experience pain. Other frequent complaints are speech impediments, tremors and dizziness and occasionally hearing loss.

Approximately half of M. S. patients experience cognitive impairments such as difficulty with concentration, attention, memory, and poor judgment which are generally mild and overlooked.

Depression is also a common feature.

There is as yet no cure for M. S. Many patients do well with no therapy whatsoever which is to their benefit as many of the medications so far carry significant risks in their use and have some very serious side effects. There are however three forms of beta interferon that have been approved by the food and drug administration in the U. S. for the treatment of the relapsing – remitting form of M. S. They are Avonex Betaseron and Rebif. They are all injections and can produce side effects such as Flu like Symptoms, Injection site reactions, depression symptoms, headache, pain, risk to Pregnancy, drop in red or white blood cell counts, heart problems, thyroid problems or Seizures. This begs the question which is worse the disease or the treatment?

The plus side is that they tend to make any attacks that do occur shorter and less severe.

There is also a synthetic form of myelin basic protein called copolymer which has few side effects and can reduce the relapse rate by almost one third.

An immunosuppressant treatment called Novantrone has been approved in the U.S. for treatment of advanced or chronic M. S. some of its derivatives have been approved then rejected and reapproved under strict clinical monitoring conditions by specially trained physicians. Steriods can sometimes reduce the duration and severity of attacks but do not effect the course of M. S. over the long run.

Spasticity which occurs as sustained stiffness or spasms that come and go can be treated with muscle relaxants and tranquilizers. Physical activity and exercise can help preserve remaining functions and foot braces, cane and walkers can help retain independence and mobility.

The prognosis is that a physician may be able to diagnose M. S. in some patients soon after the onset of the illness, however in others the doctors may not be able to readily identify the cause of the symptoms leading to years of uncertainty and multiple diagnoses.

The vast majority of patients are mildly affected but in worst cases M. S can render a person unable to write, speak or walk.

Research is ongoing in the fight to find a cure or medication that can ease the suffering without producing side effects that can be almost as devastating as the disease itself.

Brethren this disease can result in a healthy and vibrant person being disabled piece by piece before their families and loved ones and although it does not get the press coverage that diseases such as cancer gets, it can have an even more long term devastating effect on the family and can severely hamper any quality of life for both patient and immediate family.

We as masons are taught that charity is a virtue that we are to strive to practice, that our charity should know no bounds save those of prudence, that charity comprehends the whole and the mason who is possession of this virtue in its most ample sense may be justly deemed to have arrived at the summit of masonry.

Do we my brethren really practice this virtue as outlined in our ritual or in the volume of the sacred law where we are told that the greatest of the virtues is charity or do we simply pay it lip service and ignore it in our daily lives?

I suspect that we practice charity towards our fellow men by helping in non monitory fashion but as human beings we naturally tend to tighten the hold on our wallets when charity is mentioned in a monitory fashion.

Shortly after Christmas this year I asked the Lodges to respond to the question of how much money had been raised toward the district project for the year and the estimated total at that time was around $ 2,500.00 which is very commendable at first glance but pales when the following facts are considered.
Of that total collected a little better than half was raised by the charity bike ride in August. Since that ride only two other lodges have made contributions to our project.

That seems to be a less than stellar performance on our part and brethren I challenge you tonight to do your very best to take this message back to your Lodge and promote our district charity. Donations can be made by individuals and tax receipts will be issued however if that causes some concern or does not evoke a strong response from the brethren there are other options to consider. The bike ride was a great success but what if your lodge hosted a charity barbeque for its members and family? Perhaps you could consider a card party or some other fun filled event that would involve our families and show them that we are concerned about charity as well. That my brethren in the vernacular of today’s work place is called a win-win situation. Having fun and being charitable at the same time. Imagine the boost in morale and the message we would be delivering about our cares and concerns for others.

Brethren I implore you to consider these thoughts and try your best to see that all Lodges in our district get behind this venture. After all is that not one of our duties?