TOUGH COOKIE FOR KALEY ZEITOUNI, DIAGNOSIS OF MS IS REASON TO LEND A HAND.Byline: Mariko Thompson Staff Writer Not too many high school students establish nonprofit organizations Nonprofit Organization An association that is given tax-free status. Donations to a non-profit organization are often tax deductible as well. Notes: Examples of non-profit organizations are charities, hospitals and schools. and raise thousands of dollars for medical research. But that's what Kaley Zeitouni of Woodland Hills did after she was diagnosed with multiple sclerosis five years ago at the age of 12. Kaley and her classmates Classmates can refer to either:
Present use The Coliseum is now primarily the home of the USC Trojan football team. During the recent stretch of its success in football, most of USC's regular home games, especially the alternating games with rivals UCLA and Notre in 2000. The first year, their team of 50 walkers raised $5,000 for the National Multiple Sclerosis Society The National Multiple Sclerosis Society, a United States-based non-profit organization, and its network of chapters nationwide promote research, educate, advocate on issues relating to multiple sclerosis, and organize a wide range of programs, including support for the newly . Since then, Youth Against MS has achieved nonprofit status and raised more than $100,000. On Sunday, their goal is to raise another $100,000 at the 5K event. ``It's amazing a·maze v. a·mazed, a·maz·ing, a·maz·es v.tr. 1. To affect with great wonder; astonish. See Synonyms at surprise. 2. Obsolete To bewilder; perplex. v.intr. when you see all these young people who care,'' says Jo Zeitouni, Kaley's mother. ``They could be at the beach, at the mall or studying, but they choose to make a difference.'' Kaley's example has inspired adults as well. Her neurologist, Dr. Andrea Goldberg, organized a group of co-workers at Kaiser Permanente Kaiser Permanente is an integrated managed care organization, based in Oakland, California, founded in 1945 by industrialist Henry J. Kaiser and physician Sidney R. Garfield. in Panorama City to participate in the fund-raising walk. ``She is just the most fabulous person you'd want to meet,'' Goldberg says. ``She's remarkable.'' MS, a chronic disease that afflicts the central nervous system, usually strikes adults between the ages of 20 and 50. More than 400,000 Americans suffer from MS, which has no cure. Though early onset isn't common, about 30,000 kids have MS in the U.S. Youth Against MS is run by a board of directors, all teenagers, many of whom are college-bound in the fall. Kaley plans to step down from the board and continue in an advisory role in the fall. ``Having MS really has changed my life,'' Kaley says. ``Some people look at it as devastating dev·as·tate tr.v. dev·as·tat·ed, dev·as·tat·ing, dev·as·tates 1. To lay waste; destroy. 2. To overwhelm; confound; stun: was devastated by the rude remark. . It's changed me in that I try to live life to the fullest and appreciate everything.'' To sign up or support the Youth Against MS team, call (818) 702-0990, or visit www.youthagainstms.org. For more information about the National Multiple Sclerosis Society's MS Walk at the L.A. Memorial Coliseum For other similar named athletic facilities, see . Memorial Coliseum (or Veterans Memorial Coliseum in some cases) can refer to:
CAPTION(S): photo Photo: Now 17 years old, Kaley Zeitouni, center (pictured with her mother, Jo, right, and neurologist Andrea Goldberg), used her diagnosis of MS five years ago as the impetus to help raise thousands of dollars to fight the disease. Gus Ruelas/Staff Photographer |
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