Les Green Snowmobiles Past MS Through Big Sky Country
Les Green has always wanted to snowmobile his way across Big Sky country and he refused to let approximately 500 miles or multiple sclerosis stand in his way. Each January since 2000, Les has embarked on a six-day ride across Montana as part of the TransMontana Snowmobile Charity Ride sponsored by the Multiple Sclerosis Association of America (MSAA) to raise money and awareness for MS. "The MSAA had been after me to ride for years, and in 2000, it seemed right," said Les. "I hadn’t snowmobiled in 15 years, but with the turn of the millennium, I thought it was time to give it another go. As a person living with multiple sclerosis, I thought it would be a great way to raise awareness for the disease and the new therapies available to treat it." As a member of Team COPAXONE® (glatiramer acetate injection), Les powered through the snowdrifts from the Canadian border to the southern Montana border at Reynolds Pass in West Yellowstone.
Growing up in Montana
A resident of Montana for nearly 30 years, Les loves the natural beauty of the state. He moved to West Yellowstone in 1970 where he and his siblings helped his parents operate a hunting and fishing lodge. While growing up, Les learned to hunt, fish, and snowmobile. He guided snowmobile tours and served as a snowmobile mechanic for Yellowstone National Park for five years and says he "loved every minute of it." Today, Les works as a buyer for a local company in Bozeman.
"Snowmobiling was a hobby and career of mine for many years. I was diagnosed with relapsing-remitting multiple sclerosis in 1993, but thanks to recent research and developments, I have learned to manage my disease," said Les. "I incorporate a healthy diet, exercise, drug therapy, faith, and family support into my daily routine."
Taking on the Disease
Les adopted an aggressive, proactive approach to living with his disease. Instead of being fearful, Les researched and learned all he could about MS. He read books, spoke to doctors, and became involved in a support group. He thought the more he learned, the better he would be, mentally and physically.
"People are afraid of the unknown," said Les. "Multiple sclerosis is frightening, but with education it becomes less scary. Many people shrink away from the disease. Through continued education, I want to face it head on."
Les tapped into MS resources like Shared Solutions®, the National Multiple Sclerosis Society, the Jimmie Heuga Center, and the MSAA. Each one provided him with answers he needed to come to terms with his diagnosis. Through these resources, Les educated himself about MS.
Team COPAXONE®
Les is just one example of someone who is living with RRMS and pursuing his dreams. Established in 2000, Team COPAXONE® celebrates the accomplishments of people like Les who refuse to let MS stand in their way. Team members are working to change the perceptions that society holds of people living with MS.
The days when the doctor sends people home and tells them to go to bed and prepare for life in a wheelchair are slowly disappearing. Today, a combination of healthy diet, exercise, medical management, and willpower are helping people like Les pursue their dreams.
Advances in Medicine
Advances in medicine have led 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 Les takes, for treatment of MS. While individual results may vary, he has not suffered a relapse since December 1998.
Call Shared Solutions® at 1-800-887-8100 for more information about COPAXONE®, Team COPAXONE®, or multiple sclerosis.
097005401/090435