(NAPSA)—Fresh off an 11th place finish at the Daytona International Speedway, Kelly “Girl” Sutton has a message of hope for people with multiple sclerosis. The 30-year-old mother of two, whois battling for Rookie of the Year in the Goody’s Dash Series, NASCAR Touring Division, says life doesn’t end after a diagnosis of multiple sclerosis. “T always thought that MS would keep me from racing, and now it has given me a chance to achieve my dreams and follow my passion,” she said. Diagnosed with relapsingremitting multiple sclerosis (RRMS) at age 16, Sutton has waged a daily battle for most of herlife, trying all of the available drug therapies until she found the one that worked for her, COPAXONE(glatiramer acetate injection). When asked about the introduction of a new MS therapy, Sutton called the new drug “more of the same.” “T’ve tried several interferon therapies and found the side effects to be unmanageable for me. The newest MS therapy is just another drug in what's called the interferon group,” she said. Daring to Dream MS, a disease affecting 350,000 people in the United States, causes the immune system to attack healthy areas of the nervous system. When the sheath that surrounds nerves becomes inflamed, people with MS suffer what is called a relapse and experience symptoms that can include vision problems, weakness, numbness, and pain. Today, advances in medicine have brought people a long way from the days when a diagnosis of MS meantlittle hope and a future of disability. A combination of healthy diet, exercise, 260239/0363C2 Kelly Sutton is a member of Team COPAXONE?. daily injections, and willpower are helping people like Kelly Sutton pursue their dreams. “My family rallied behind me to keep me focused on the positives and on the future successes I hoped to have in racing,” said Sutton. “When I would get down about the disease, my dad would tell me to focus on the track. With the help of my passion for racing, learning more about the disease, and daily medication, I am here today pursuing my dreams.” Through nationwide speaking engagements on MS, Sutton has found not only is she able to motivate the audience, but they also find a way to inspire her. “Each talk I give or event I attend, I meet someone who touches my heart and makes me feel connected to all the other people whoare fighting the same battle I am,” Sutton said. “I am fortunate that I have been able to keep doing what I love, and I try to tell people to find their passion and go for it. Don’t let MS stand in your way.” Advancesin Medicine Continuing research has led neurologists to treatments that can modify the immune processes thought to be responsible for relapsing-remitting multiple sclerosis. The FDA has approved drugs, such as COPAXONE,that Sutton takes. COPAXONE helps reduce the frequency of relapses in people with relapsing-remitting multiple sclerosis. While individual results may vary, since going back on COPAXONE?in June 1999, Sutton has suffered only one relapse. To learn more about Kelly Sutton, visit www.kellygirlsutton.com. The most commonside effects of COPAXONE?are redness, pain, swelling, itching, or a lump at the site of injection, flushing, chest pain, weakness, infection, pain, nausea, joint pain, anxiety, and muscle stiffness. These reactions are usually mild and seldom require professional treatment. Patients should tell their doctor about any side effects. Some patients report a shortterm reaction right after injecting COPAXONE. This reaction can involve flushing (feeling of warmth and/or redness), chest tightness or pain with heart palpitations, anxiety, and trouble breathing. These symptoms generally appear within minutes of an injection, last about 15 minutes, and go away by themselves without further problems. Call 1-800-887-8100 or log onto www.copaxone.com for additional important information about COPAXONE. Teva Neuroscience, Inc. markets COPAXONE. COPAXONE is a registered trademark of Teva Pharmaceutical Industries Ltd.
