Always ready to support worthy causes in the community, the staff and leadership at Hollis Cobb Associates is getting behind Chris Hackney as he participates in the Bike MS event this month. A fellow member of HFMA (Healthcare Financial Management Association), Chris has been preparing for his second Bike MS for several months now. Last year he rode 25 miles, and this year is striving to double that by riding a total of 50 miles during the September 17-18 event.
As a healthcare finance professional, Chris knows all too well the financial challenges uninsured patients face when MS strikes. Even those with insurance coverage often have to pay high deductibles and co-pays, and endure ever-increasing insurance premiums. “The cost of prescription medication is high and continues to rise,” Chris noted, adding, “That is why I want to ride – to raise money for those who are financially burdened, and of course, to fight for a cure.”
According to the Multiple Sclerosis Society, Bike MS raises more money than any other cycling event for any other cause. To date, the MS Society has raised over $1 billion through the Bike MS program, and the funds go toward helping individuals with MS have a better quality of life as well as supporting research to find a cure for the disease. Multiple Sclerosis is an unpredictable and often disabling disease of the central nervous system. It interrupts the flow of information within the brain and between the brain and the body.
Currently there is no cure for MS, and those suffering from the disease experience symptoms that range from numbing and tingling in the limbs to blindness and paralysis. The Multiple Sclerosis Foundation estimates that over 400,000 people in the United States and approximately 2.5 million people worldwide have MS. The disease is more common in the United States and Europe than in Asia, Africa and South America, and it strikes females 2 to 3 times more often than males. Researchers, scientists and doctors have learned a great deal about MS in the last decade, and increased knowledge has led to better treatment options for patients.
The money that is raised through events like Bike MS go a long way toward advancing treatments, and assisting those living with the disease through education and financial support. Hollis Cobb Associates is proud to support this event and others that help improve treatment options for individuals faced with health challenges like Multiple Sclerosis. “Bike MS is a ride that brings us together to make a difference in the lives of people affected by multiple sclerosis and each mile we ride brings us closer to a world free of MS,” Chris said. Anyone interested in supporting Chris Hackney’s efforts to raise money for the MS Society may follow this link to donate: DONATE TO CHRIS’ BIKE MS TEAM
