Sally Balogh is the perfect example of someone who recognizes challenges and moves on despite them. Currently, Sally sits on the Board of Directors for CLASS as the secretary. Her passion for volunteering her time is evident, as well as her advocacy for those in the community living with multiple sclerosis. Sally holds an AS degree in Recreational Therapy and while she no longer practices, she believes that her previous work in that field and her diagnosis of multiple sclerosis (MS) gives her a better understanding and empathetic perspective for other people with disabilities.

Sally and her husband, John, are members of the Steel City Fins, a local volunteer and social organization that holds multiple events throughout the year. The events raise money for nonprofit organizations, and for the past 13 years has raised nearly $15,000 for CLASS’s Multiple Sclerosis Service Society (MSSS) program. Sally and John also volunteer for the Annual South Side Summer Open to benefit CLASS’s many programs, and Sally is active with the Salvation Army Project Bundle Up.

Sally’s diagnosis may sometimes slow her down or make once easily completed tasks more complicated, but it hasn’t reduced her enthusiasm for life. Just a few of the roles Sally enjoys on a daily basis include wife, board member, volunteer, and pet owner. As a board member she knows the importance of providing people with support and information that enables them to move forward after diagnosis.

CLASS offers support to individuals living with MS through the MSSS program. The Multiple Sclerosis Exercise and Support Program provides an in home wellness program that helps individuals maintain their current level of function both safely and comfortably. Instructional exercise, emotional support, equipment and assistive living device evaluations are provided under a doctor’s orders. The program also provides referrals to the Community Partners Program for individualized case management if necessary, as well as eight social/support groups throughout southwestern Pennsylvania.