WHO IS FAMILIA UNIDA?

Familia Unida Living with Multiple Sclerosis' History

A leader since its inception, Familia Unida Living with Multiple Sclerosis is providing the basic human services for Latinos with MS.

In 1990, life changed dramatically for Irma Resendez, Founder and President of Familia Unida Living with Multiple Sclerosis.   At the time when her friends were forming a family, Irma had to deal with some harsh realities and fight the feeling that her life was over.   Irma was 28-years-old when she was diagnosed with MS, an illness which paralyzed her from her waist down for almost one year. Her daughters were only three and four-years-old, when she was told by her doctor that she may never walk again.   The initial diagnosis brought her many emotions, such as fear, anger and depression, all of which led to feelings of isolation and despair, causing her to question her purpose in life.   This challenge also brought attention to the fact that through her spiritual beliefs, Irma soon realized that she was not alone in this lifetime journey of living with MS.   She found strength within her spiritual beliefs, as well as within the support from her family and friends.

For a while, Irma experienced a series of ups and downs.   She went through depression, feelings of isolation and despair, to the point where she had a thought out plan to end her life so that her husband and children could live a life without the burden of caring for her daily needs.

Before long, Irma met many individuals living with MS who, unfortunately, did not have the same support that she had received from her family.   She soon realized that every person living with MS is connected like family; they all need to feel supported and they need to know that they are not alone.   This is why Familia Unida was born - "To bring awareness about the importance of family, friends and communities working together to enhance the quality of life in a manner that respects culture and the uniqueness of each individual."

Her personal driving force was her own series of unexpected encounters that led her to face the biggest challenge of her lifetime.   As she worked to understand and cope with her illness, she discovered that even though there was an abundance of information available about MS, there was very little information available or accessible to the Spanish speaking population.   Still today, Irma continues to advocate for the inclusion of culturally sensitive information, services and resources for all individuals and families.

FULWMS does not impose eligibility requirements for its services, nor geographical boundaries or income requirements.   In the words of a member, "There are no color lines here." Although the agency was originally founded to serve the needs of the Latino MS community, it has grown into a "safe haven" for everybody with and/or concerned about MS.   The constituency of the organization is a rainbow of races, cultures, ethnicities, ages and social statuses.   Irma Resendez created Familia Unida Living with Multiple Sclerosis in 1998 with these underlying principles in mind:

BRING AWARENESS TO:

• The need for culturally sensitive programs and services for individuals and families dealing with the complications of MS.
• The fact that MS does not discriminate.
• The growing numbers of ethnic groups affected by MS.
• The importance of community and family support to arrive at wellness and happiness.

        By strongly believing and applying these principles, she achieved professional success, which was evident in her track record in volunteer commitment and ability to deliver results.   She then applied these experiences to the incorporation of Familia Unida Living with Multiple Sclerosis in 1998, as an advocacy agency for MS patients, and began to solicit seed money.

Yet, long before she successfully raised her first substantial grant from Union Bank of California in December of 1998, the Founder of Familia Unida Living with Multiple Sclerosis secured technical support, solicited local residents as partners, and created a health and human services model based on self-responsibility, individual goal-setting and respect for each participant's life experience.   Additionally, as a way to further facilitate local members' paths to success and self-sufficiency, she planned for an array of support services and educational programs, including a food pantry and a counseling & referral program, which was made possible with the support from Centro Maravilla in East Los Angeles and a $25,000 grant from the California Endowment Foundation.

Today, Familia Unida Living with Multiple Sclerosis is growing as a multilingual and multicultural organization serving a diverse population living with MS and other debilitating diseases.