fund-raising drive this Friday, as part of their awareness week.

Music great Shine Hayward, who is president of the society, described the disease as a "communication breakdown between the brain and the rest of the body''.

Multiple sclerosis is a chronic disease of the central nervous system and most often strikes people between the ages of 20 and 40.

Symptoms vary greatly from very mild to severe, and can include numbness, poor coordination, spasms, loss of bladder control and complete paralysis.

MS Society secretary Sue Medeiros, who is also their MS `Person of the Year', was diagnosed with the disease in 1997 although she'd suffered symptoms for years.

"MS is very random in who it attacks, and there are very rarely similar symptoms,'' she noted.

"It's an auto-immune disease in which the myelin sheath, which covers the nerves on the brain and spinal cord (like the insulation on wires) is destroyed and makes the transmission of nerve impulses slower.

"I remember when I was in school and I'd know I'd want to touch the number three on my calculator -- but I'd end up touching all the numbers around it before I was able to,'' she added.

Ms Medeiros notes the effects of multiple sclerosis come and go, but there's no way of being able to predict the onset or frequency of attacks.

As part of their awareness week activities, there was a service at Christ Church in Devonshire last Sunday. There will be an luncheon with the Lions Club at MR Onions tomorrow from 12.30 p.m. to 2 p.m. Friday's carnation drive will take place between 8 a.m. and 4.30 p.m. at 24 locations Island wide, including the banks and grocery stores.

Although the cause and cure for multiple sclerosis is not known, partial proceeds will go toward promising research in Canada to help find a cure for the disease.

CLUB CLB FUND RAISER FNR