The MAHA program is a comprehensive, home-based service for individuals with MS and other demyelinating diseases with disability in our community.
Despite patients’ disability, exercise, socialization and advocacy are a pivotal component to wellness and quality of life. Our main priority with funds from the MS Strong race event will go toward funding exercise scholarships for those enrolled in the MAHA program to MS community partners with expertise working with this population.
MAHA is derived from the name of the Native American Omaha tribe originally settling in the area. The term meaning against the wind, against the current, originally referring to the unimaginable strong winds and currents over the plains and the Missouri River. Respectful to its meaning, persons with MS and significant disability, their family, friends, care givers and health care providers, face strong winds of adversity in meeting the basic needs on a day-to-day basis. Living with and learning about these struggles is not for the faint of heart. Historically, research has supported a clear health care disparity in individuals with significant disability, however little meaningful change in policy has been accomplished to date. By providing a “boots on the ground” service, we have learned that access to health care is only the first current. Additional barriers include income, transportation, housing and isolation. Worst of all, many individuals have reported feeling they have become “invisible."
Understanding the needs of individuals with MS, their caregivers and families, is the foundation of the UNMC/Nebraska Medicine MAHA program. With over a decade of learned experience and “walking with” extraordinary individuals with MS, despite significant disability, together WE have persisted. Guided by well-defined, fundamental, collaboratively created principles, we have made MS care more accessible, meaningful and productive.
How?
- By clearly defining and integrating the fundamental tenants of compassion, continuity, expertise, communication, coordination, intensive follow-up, monitoring and listening
- Improving access to care, with implementation of house calls, facility visits, telemedicine and a transdisplinary clinic with extended clinic time
- Weekly collaboration with community home health agencies, durable medical vendors and other medical specialties to ensure everyone is “on the same page”
- Collaborating with community partners creating opportunities for individuals to be part of the community through endeavors such as supporting exercise scholarships which have proven to be of benefit on overall wellness and quality of life
We are grateful to a generous donor who has made it possible to expand our program. We have served over 150 individuals since 2013. We continue actively enrolling additional individuals into the program with expanded outreach of house calls into Eastern Iowa. We have been nationally and internationally recognized for OUR work.
The purpose of the inaugural fundraiser is to continue to directly empower those individuals served in the MAHA program with priority funding directed toward exercise scholarships. Our bigger vision is one of a MS Day Achievement Program and ultimately a Community-University Complex, a very costly and time intensive endeavor.
By participating in our event, you have provided all of us an opportunity to continue our mission to “serve to empower”. Over the last decade we have been privileged to get a rare glimpse into the magnitude of empowerment which will continue to make our entire community better.
If you are interested in further supporting the MAHA program, whether that be through your time or monetary contributions, please stop by the Together Booth at the Event and/or reach out via email to msstrong@unmc.edu for more information.