"Independence". (The Last Word).

"We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men ... are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable rights, that among these are life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness."

This 4th of July, we once again celebrate our political independence, and all the rights and privileges we Americans have hammered out for ourselves, beginning with the day we threw off the rule of King George III, 225 years ago. It's typically American that the opening of our declaration contains this glorious pledge. Political independence means personal independence: we have a right to be free and to pursue our dreams.

Independence has a special resonance for people who live with multiple sclerosis. We can't cure MS yet, we can only slow down its ability to erode individual abilities. Until we have the cure, people with MS will continue to live with losses. It's all too easy to think that these losses diminish personal independence. That isn't what the travel writers in this issue demonstrate. They are on the move, enjoying and contributing to life, and giving ample proof of the concept that independence doesn't mean not needing the assistance of other people or not needing technology, from gadgets to sophisticated electronics. Independence is in the mindset of the individual.

If a person needs large print in order to read, if a person needs a wheelchair to move around freely, if a person needs a nap or a quiet room in order to think clearly, he or she hasn't forfeited one iota of the unalienable right to liberty and the pursuit of happiness.

The 13 colonies had to work together and sacrifice both blood and treasure to secure the independence that was declared on July 4, 1776. People with MS secure their independence by working with family members, health-care professionals, friends, and strangers too, according to Chris Lombardi, on page 28. They also, I'm proud to say, work with volunteers and staff in our 135 offices from coast to coast, where we offer programs, referrals, information, self-help groups, and more--all designed to empower people.

We want everyone to understand that independence for people with MS and other chronic diseases or disability is not diminished because it requires accommodations, teamwork, or planning. Independence has always been attained that way!

Mike Dugan General, USAF, Ret. President and CEO