Taking a Swing Against Multiple Sclerosis
Since Heather was a young girl in St. Louis, MO, she has always had a golf club in her hand. It was a family sport that provided an excellent connection to her parents. As a collegiate golfer at the University of Arizona, Heather excelled on the course and knew she would some day make golf her career.
After more than a decade of playing among the elite ranks in women’s golf and a lifetime of dedication to the game, Heather Drew almost threw in her clubs. At the age of 37 in her 13th year on the Ladies Professional Golf Association (LPGA) tour, she was diagnosed with relapsing-remitting multiple sclerosis (RRMS) – bumping her golf career from the top of her list of priorities.
After experiencing extreme fatigue, weakness and numbness on one side of her body, Heather knew something was wrong. A visit to a neurologist confirmed her diagnosis of RRMS and threatened her ability to continue playing the game she loves. In characteristic fashion, Heather decided multiple sclerosis (MS) would not keep her off the course indefinitely. While Heather knows that individual results may vary, she relies on the right balance of diet, exercise, and daily treatment with COPAXONE
® (glatiramer acetate injection). Since adopting her proactive approach towards managing her MS and initiating drug therapy in 2000, Heather has been relapse-free.
Her passion for the sport has kept Heather in the game. In 2004, she re-emerged as a competitor on the Women’s Senior Golf Tour (WSGT). In 2006, Heather caddied in a total of 13 LPGA events for players including Michelle Estill, Allison Finney, Il Mi Chung and Dawn Coe-Jones. In 2007, Heather caddied in a total of 17 LPGA events for players including, AJ Eathorne, Dawn Coe-Jones and Heather Young.
“I’ve come to realize that having a diagnosis of MS doesn’t mean you have to stop pursuing your passions. By making a few adjustments, I have been able to stay active in the arena of golf,” says Heather. “I am passionate about encouraging others to continue pursuing their dreams no matter what obstacles they may encounter.”
Team COPAXONE®
Heather is sponsored in part by Teva Neuroscience as a member of Team COPAXONE®. Heather is just one example of someone who is living with RRMS and pursuing her dreams. Team COPAXONE® celebrates the accomplishments of people, such as Heather, who refuse to let MS stand in their way. Members are working to change the perceptions that society holds of people living with MS.
Advances in Medicine
Continuing research has led to treatments that can modify the immune processes thought to be responsible for RRMS. The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has approved drugs for RRMS, such as COPAXONE®.
Call 1-800-887-8100 for more information about COPAXONE®, Team COPAXONE®, or multiple sclerosis.
087005305/080454