Celebrating 10 Years Fighting MS
Celebrating 10 Years and Beyond
When Jay Farnam was 5 years old, his father, Barry, was diagnosed with multiple sclerosis (MS). Initially, Barry's disease progression wasn't very noticeable aside from a few flares ups from time to time. But in the last 15 years, Jay started to see his father's increasing struggles with MS. That's when he decided to take action.
In 2009, Jay and his wife began to brainstorm ways they could show support for his father. They took inspiration from one of Barry's favorite past times, golf, and wanted to find a way to raise money to help end MS. From there, they created the Barry Farnam Multiple Sclerosis (BFMS) Charity Golf Classic, a DIY Fundraiser for the National MS Society.
"I wanted to show my dad that he wasn't alone in this battle and show him how many people were out there to support him," he says. "I have a large network for friend and family. We felt an event to bring this network together would be a great way to demonstrate this to him firsthand. They get to show their support to my dad and the cause, while at the same time spend five to eight hours with friends or family they don't see often. Because of them, it has become a great success."
The event is a classic golf outing, featuring 18 holes of golf & drinks in a scramble format, and ending with dinner and prizes. This year's event will take place Friday, Sept. 21, at the Hilldale Golf Club (1625 Ardwick Drive) in Hoffman Estates. The event is run entirely by Jay's family and raises money for the National MS Society to support research, programs, and services to help those living with MS.
Year after year, the outing reaches impressive fundraising goals and has raised over $80,000 since its inception. Now in its tenth annual outing, Jay and his family have hit a monumental and sentimental milestone. Never dreaming the event would take off and be as successful as it is, Jay has reflected on the long-term goals of the event. While the BFMS Charity Golf Classic will continue to raise money for the National MS Society, Jay hopes to also focus on raising funds to support those in his local community who do not have access to the additional medical care MS often requires.
Jay has seen firsthand a major gap in MS care: the way health insurance companies cover physical therapy. Insurance companies often cover only a certain amount of physical therapy sessions in a year. For many people living with MS, physical therapy is a great way to counter muscles atrophy.
"Balance has become a big issue for my dad and many with MS. Having a professional guide and monitor your exercise in a safe environment has led to great results," Jay shares. Exercise can help those with MS maintain a variety of MS symptoms, including depression, and help them live life with as much independence as possible.
When Barry reaches the maximum physical therapy visits covered by his insurance, he cannot afford to pay out of pocket for more therapy or to hire a personal trainer. Going to the gym alone is not an option, due to the risk of falling.
"Our goal is to make the event even bigger and possibly add another event in the future. With more money and more exposure, we feel we can make a local impact," Jay says. "The National MS Society does a fantastic job with research and assisting with other costs, but I'd like to spearhead a local effort to directly help those affected by MS."
While dreaming of ways to make the next 10 years and beyond an even greater success, Jay continues to keep his father at the center of everything he does. Events like BFMS Charity Golf Classic give hope to families like Jay's that their loved ones living with MS will one day have complete freedom to live life on their own terms.
"A world free of MS would mean having an even closer relationship with my dad. We aren't able to do certain things together we both enjoy. I want the next family to be able to say they were able to do those things with their mom, their dad, grandma or grandpa with MS. Maybe even playing a little golf."
To participate or to learn more about the BFMS Charity Golf Classic, visit www.thevelijacorporation.org/BFMS.html.