Tracy Alva’s Journey from Innocence to MS

The Beginning

Tracy Alva Lawder was born to Alva and Roger in 1966. She and her sister Karen were normal active children. Tracy’s days were filled with running track, twirling, swimming, and working as a lifeguard. Her dreams of the future were optimistic and upbeat. Looking back to her glorious, carefree girlhood days, Tracy says, “I considered myself a good athlete, always on the move, and always going.”

When Tracy and Karen were in elementary school, their mom returned to college at Georgian Court University. The sacrifices made by the family left a deep impression on the girls, and gave them the desire and perseverance to graduate from Georgian Court and earn master’s degrees.

Tracy says, “I watched my mom sacrifice many things in returning to college. We were fortunate that my nana Alva Joyce lived with us. Nana would care for us while my mom was in school and when my dad worked late for United Parcel Service. My mom instilled the values of faith, family, and education early on in our lives.”

In 2001, her father, her sister, and especially Tracy were devastated by the loss of Alva, Tracy’s mom. Tracy says, “She was a loving mother who gave us the inspiration to follow our dreams.” It had been her mom’s inspiration that led Tracy to return to school to complete her education while her mother Alva Lawder proudly watched as her girls completed their education.

“She gave us the gift of education,” says Tracy. “Following in her footsteps, I graduated Georgian Court College and became a teacher. I had the honor of commuting with her on a daily basis to the school district where we both taught. On March 22, 2001, my mentor, my inspiration, and my best friend, my mother died. My world as I had known it changed from that day on, bringing huge challenges and struggles both physically and emotionally.”

The Disease

Two months after her mother died, Tracy felt tingling and numbness in her arms and legs on her entire left side. Family and friends assured her that she was probably experiencing depression or anxiety brought on by the loss of her mother.

It wasn’t until she went for an MRI that she was diagnosed with Multiple Sclerosis. Tracy, a young healthy, active woman, was about to begin a different journey from her childhood visions. There is no cure for MS.

Tracy began several types of medicines to slow the progression of the disease, including weekly injections along with medications to help her stay awake, control spasms, and ease the pain. As the MS progressed, dosages of her medicines increased. By June of 2004, Tracy was deteriorating rapidly. Although she was taking the maximum dosage of all her medicines, she was having trouble walking because her ankles and feet were totally numb; she was also having trouble with her equilibrium, and she experienced auras around her eyes as well as double vision.

The Power of Faith

Where would you turn? Tracy turned to God. “Coinciding with the progression of my MS, my spiritual awakening started to come alive,” says Tracy. “In the year 2003, I attended a Holy Spirit Seminar and at the end of the six weeks I was baptized in the Holy Spirit. My faith truly took off, and my prayer life deepened. I realized that God was my only hope of becoming free of this disease. I started talking to God all the time in prayer, attended many activities our parish offered, such as Bible study, Advent and Lenten missions, women’s retreat, healing masses and private healing prayers.”

In June of 2004 Tracy had many private sessions with the Marantha healing team at St. Veronica’s, praying for the healing of her MS and the strength to get through whatever was God’s will, as well as the strength to get her through each day.

In April 2005 Pope John Paul II died. During one of her healing sessions with the Marantha group, they prayed to the Pope for his intercession on behalf of Tracy’s healing. It was also suggested that Tracy write her own prayer, asking Pope John Paul to intercede for her healing through the intercession of the Blessed Mother, asking her to bring Tracy’s prayer to Jesus.

“I went home and did just that,” says Tracy. (See The Prayer). “I made copies of the prayer and gave it to many people, including family and friends. I prayed it and continue to pray it every day.”

In 2005 Tracy and her dad made a pilgrimage to Lourdes, joining others from one of the local churches to attend a mass and get into the baths. “I couldn’t go anywhere else with the group,” says Tracy, who could barely walk by this time. “On Sunday, October 16, 2005, when we were at morning mass in the Grotto, the priest stated that at 6:00 p.m. ‘we will really celebrate because it was the anniversary of Pope John Paul II becoming Pope.’ How awesome was this news to me that out of a possible 365 days I would be going in the baths on this very special day, after praying and asking for his intercession with my healing for all these months.

“In the afternoon I went into the baths at Lourdes and my prayer as I was in the bath was to ask Our Blessed Mother to take my disease from Pope John Paul II and to please bring it to Our Lord. The Blessed Mother heard my plea.

“Later that evening I went out onto the balcony of our hotel and as I gaze up into the sky, I knew that something wonderful was happening to me. I had not taken any medicine since the Friday when we left for this journey, except for my blood pressure pill. When I awoke the next morning, I felt wonderful. This is what I wrote in my journal on that day:

My healing has begun. I feel it. I had no trouble moving or getting up this
morning. I felt so so good and alive. I had absolutely zero pain and zero stiffness. After breakfast we (my dad and I) started down to the Grotto to mass. I walked down the hill to the Grotto all by myself, I didn’t need to hold dad’s arm. My legs felt so stable and strong and I was walking really well. Dad was amazed. We then went to the basilica and I looked to the top and we decided to begin walking up the stairs to the top. I made it all the way to the top without an ounce of weakness, right to the top. My healing had begun. That night I really felt so good and still had zero pain. Amazing!

Thank you Jesus; thank you Pope John Paul II; thank you my Blessed Mother; thank you, my Lord. My healing had begun! I have had no double vision or auras since the baths.

As she was getting ready to leave the hotel on her way to the airport to fly home, Tracy wrote the following in her journal:

I am bringing this most peaceful feeling that I have had since we arrived
here, home and I am keeping it with me always. What an awesome journey.
This was a journey of a lifetime! Thank you, Jesus; thank you Pope John
Paul II; thank you, Blessed Mother; thank you, my Lord.

On December 27, 2005 and again in 2006, Dr. Forester confirmed that Tracy’s recovery was nothing short of a miracle! She was no longer on any medication, was gaining weight, and the muscles in her arms and legs were strong. She had no pain in her feet and the feeling was all returning; she had good reflexes as well.

End of a Miracle and the Beginning of a Mission

The miracle lasted three years. In 2008 stressful family situations most likely contributed in bringing Tracy’s MS back with a vengeance. Since that time, she has developed new lesions on the stem of her brain and along her spine.

Now in the year 2009, Tracy continues to battle this disease. She will never give up. But this time, she has decided it is time to make a difference for others who are faced with this Multiple Sclerosis. Tracy is on a mission—Tracy Alva’s Mission.

Tracy’s MS Mission

Tracy has started a nonprofit organization called “Tracy Alva’s Mission for Multiple Sclerosis” to confront MS and help people diagnosed with Multiple Sclerosis manage the physical, emotional, and financial challenges they face every day.

Tracy Alva’s Mission will raise money and donate a portion of the proceeds to National MS for research, treatment, and medication. In addition, Tracy Alva’s Mission will fund scholarships for students who have been diagnosed with Multiple Sclerosis to help them achieve their educational goals.

The Mission Begins

In October 2008 Janet Moss, a friend of Tracy and Karen, invited them to join the NJ Metro Chapter Women on the Move for MS. Like all nonprofits, this one needed funds.
Many of their discussions centered on how to raise money. Ideas flowed from selling scarves to selling pins, but the idea of a specially designed piece of jewelry seemed perfect. But who would design the jewelry?

“Believe” Takes Shape

Deciding to start a foundation is one thing; finding the money and support to actually begin is another. After the George H. Moss Jr. Foundation made the first substantial donation, Tracy knew her mission would be become a reality. Besides the necessary funds to launch Tracy Alva’s Mission for Multiple Sclerosis, Tracy and her sister Karen decided that they needed a piece of jewelry, specially designed and sold to benefit Tracy Alva’s Mission.

In the late 80s, when Karen was getting her Master’s Degree from the University of Pennsylvania, she and Robi Ludwig became good friends. Robi, who was from New Jersey, soon became a cherished family friend. Tracy says, “My mom just adored Robi. You know, when your mom speaks about friendship and special people stay in your life from start to finish – well, Robi was one of those people. It was natural that we would ask Robi to be the one to design a piece of jewelry for my mission.”

Dr. Robi Ludwig, who has appeared on the Today Show, CNN, and FOX, joyfully created a special pendant, the first inspirational jewelry line designed for MS that says “Believe” on the back of it. Dr. Ludwig.

Tracy says, “I have had the honor and privilege of knowing Dr. Robi Ludwig for many years. As a renowned TV host and psychological contributor, psychotherapist, and author, she is a professional who can identify with the additional challenges a person with MS has.

“Because of her background and ability in psychotherapy, I asked her to design a piece of jewelry that was both inspirational and thoughtful. Dr. Robi was kind enough to donate her design, time, and professional guidance to promote, endorse, and talk about the disease.”

Stacy Greenberg Weber, owner of Ann Maura Accessories, had the pendant manufactured and imported for Tracy Alva’s Mission for Multiple Sclerosis.

Proceeds from the sale of this piece jewelry will be donated on September 22, 2009, at Celebration of Hope Luncheon to Women of the Move, NJ Metro Chapter of MS. The pendant will then be available for purchase online. Proceeds from those sales will be donated for the treatment and research of Multiple Sclerosis. In addition, proceeds will also go toward scholarships for students diagnosed with MS.

Tracy says, “I started this nonprofit because I felt there was a need to for me to make a difference as a professional with MS. I am fortunate enough to have a career in which I can obtain medication through my insurance. Others are not so lucky. I want to provide opportunities through Tracy Alva’s Mission for those with MS who do not have the means to achieve their educational goals.”

The Board members of Tracy Alva’s Mission are extraordinary people who donate their time and their talent. One Board member Betty White also has multiple sclerosis and is very aware of the daily struggles as well as the need for new inspiration, hope, and access to what Tracy Alva’s Mission for MS can offer.