Linda & Ken Sumner Art Studio Inspires Creativity in Multiple Sclerosis Patients in Bonita Springs
Linda & Ken Sumner Art Studio Inspires Creativity in Multiple Sclerosis Patients in Bonita Springs
Bonita Springs, Fla. (March 1, 2023) – The Multiple Sclerosis Center of Southwest Florida (MS Center) recently celebrated the grand opening of the new Linda & Ken Sumner Art Studio, with a ribbon cutting ceremony hosted by SWFL Inc. The art studio is located at 3372 Woods Edge Circle in Bonita Springs, next to the MS Center’s main facility.
The Linda & Ken Sumner Art Center provides individuals with MS a variety of art classes throughout the Center’s service area for registered clients. The art program provides a creative outlet and a distraction from the chronic symptoms that affect the daily lives of MS patients. The art program is made possible by the Sumner Charitable Foundation, and inspires creativity, a sense of confidence and accomplishment as well as social support.
“The Sumners have sponsored the MS Center’s art program for the last six years, and have pledged to continue,” said Kay Jasso, Executive Director of the MS Center. “We are very grateful to the Sumners for supporting this program that gives our clients such a sense of creative accomplishment.”
The MS Center is a 501(c)3 nonprofit organization that has served the community since 2000. Its mission is to provide comprehensive care for the mind, body, and spirit of those affected by multiple sclerosis in Southwest Florida. The MS Center is not a chapter of a national organization and only serves Southwest Florida. The Center has experienced exponential growth in the last few years, growing from serving 50 people with MS in 2015 to over 500 today.
People with MS can now access the MS Center’s services closer to where they live. The MS Center has established five new locations called MS Neighborhood Community Centers (NCCs). The program launched late last year. Each NCC site provides a full day of activities, every week, in each of five locations: Bonita Springs, Cape Coral, Fort Myers, Naples, and Olga, which serves Alva, Buckingham, and Lehigh Acres.
“We are so grateful to our supporters who have enabled us to expand our access to provide quality programs that help people with MS to reduce isolation, improve mobility, and create lasting connections with others who have MS,” added Jasso.
Multiple sclerosis is a chronic, autoimmune disease that attacks the central nervous system (CNS). The disease causes inflammation that damages myelin — the substance that covers and insulates the nerve fibers. Symptoms can range from optic neuritis to the loss of the ability to walk. Severity can also vary widely from person to person. The disease affects women three times more often than men. Most people are diagnosed between the ages of 20 and 50. An estimated 5,000 people are living with MS in Southwest Florida.
Other services provided by the MS Center include case management, disability assistance resources, mental health support and coaching, educational activities, and more.
For more information and to support the mission of the MS Center, visit mscenterswfl.org or call (239) 319-0904.