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"Books for a Better Life" Winners Announced by New York City Chapter of the National MS Society
Best Self Improvement Books of 2008 Celebrated
Ceremony in New York Inspires Crowd
Doctors Mehmet Oz and Michael Roizen Make Stunning Pledge

New York, NY - The New York City Chapter of the National Multiple Sclerosis Society awarded the best self-improvement books of 2008 at the 13th Annual Books for a Better Life Awards at a ceremony at the Millennium Broadway Hotel on February 23.

Michael F. Roizen, MD and Mehmet C. Oz, MD, co-authors of The New York Times #1 bestselling YOU book series were inducted into the Ardath Rodale Hall of Fame by presenter Patty Neger, coordinating producer for Good Morning America. Dr. Roizen and Dr. Oz stunned the audience with a $10,000 matching pledge. So, whether someone donates $200 or $10,000, the doctors will double it. "We have each treated MS patients and know how important this cause is, so we challenge you tonight to give what you can," said Dr. Oz.

Donations can be made on line. http://secure3.convio.net/nmss/site/Donation2?idb=690708805&df_id=23081&23081.donation=form1

Robert S. Miller, president, HarperStudio, HarperCollins Publishers was also inducted into the Ardath Rodale Hall of Fame by presenter David Black of the David Black Literary Agency.

The following are the 2008 Books for a Better Life Winners:

Audiobook
Hot, Flat, and Crowded by Thomas L. Friedman (Macmillan Audio)

Childcare/Parenting
The Trouble with Boys by Peg Tyre (The Crown Publishing Group)

First Book
The Middle Place by Kelly Corrigan (Hyperion-Voice)

Green
Made from Scratch by Jenna Woginrich (Storey Publishing)

Inspirational Memoir
The Last Lecture by Randy Pausch with Jeffrey Zaslow (Hyperion)

Motivational
Learning from the Heart: Lessons on Living, Loving, and Listening by Daniel Gottlieb (Sterling Publishing Co.)

Psychology
My Stroke of Insight by Jill Bolte Taylor (Viking)

Relationships
September Songs by Maggie Scarf (Riverhead Books)

Spiritual
The Wise Heart: A Guide to the Universal Teachings of Buddhist Psychology by Jack Kornfield (The Bantam Dell Publishing Group)

Wellness
In Defense of Food by Michael Pollan (The Penguin Press)

Since their inception in 1996, the Books for a Better Life Awards have recognized more than 400 self-improvement authors, raising more than $1.5 million for the New York City Chapter's comprehensive support services and educational programs for people living with MS, their friends and families. The Awards recognize self-improvement authors whose messages are aligned with the Chapter's mission of inspiring people to live their best lives.

Five finalists are chosen from more than 400 entries for each of ten categories, including childcare/parenting, first book, inspirational memoir, motivational, psychology, relationships, spiritual, wellness, and the newly created audiobook and green categories. View the complete list of finalists at www.msnyc.org. An esteemed panel of book sellers and magazine, book club and television book editors select the finalists and the winners are chosen by secret ballot of three expert judges for each category.

About the New York City Chapter
The New York City Chapter of the National MS Society is committed to helping the thousands of New Yorkers impacted by MS continue moving their lives forward. The chapter raises funds locally to support the Society's critical research initiatives and to provide hundreds of comprehensive support services and educational programs to people living with MS, their family and friends. Visit www.MSnyc.org for more information.

About the National Multiple Sclerosis Society
MS stops people from moving. The National MS Society exists to make sure it doesn't. We help each person address the challenges of living with MS. In 2007 alone, through our home office and 50-state network of chapters, we devoted over $136 million to programs that enhanced more than one million lives. To move us closer to a world free of MS, the Society also invested over $50 million to support 440 research projects around the world. We are people who want to do something about MS NOW. Join the movement.

About Multiple Sclerosis
Multiple sclerosis interrupts the flow of information between the brain and the body and it stops people from moving. Every hour in the United States someone is newly diagnosed with MS, an unpredictable, often disabling disease of the central nervous system. Symptoms range from numbness and tingling to blindness and paralysis. The progress, severity and specific symptoms of MS in any one person cannot yet be predicted, but advances in research and treatment are moving us closer to a world free of MS. Most people with MS are diagnosed between the ages of 20 and 50, with more than twice as many women as men being diagnosed with the disease. MS affects more than 400,000 people in the U.S., and 2.5 million worldwide.

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