News  Quincy District Court and South Shore Hospital commemorate Multiple Sclerosis Awareness Day

Left to right: Probation Officer Supervisor Maureen Kenney, Probation Officer Manager Robin Mont, Associate Probation Officer Scharliea DaRoza, Assistant Chief of Probation Officer Christian Oliver, Probation Officer Edil Flores, Probation Officer Ana Rodrigues, Probation Officer Chau Vo, Chief Probation Officer Kimberly Gruenberg, and Associate Probation Officer Liam Pohl

Quincy District Court Probation and South Shore Hospital collaborated on a card-making project to commemorate Multiple Sclerosis Awareness Day. The cards were decorated by Probation staff and distributed to hospital patients. This card-making effort was the brainchild of Quincy Associate Probation Officer Scharliea DaRoza. Ms. DaRosa said her efforts were inspired by personal experience.

“I am proud to share with you that I am a MS warrior myself. I was diagnosed with MS in February 2023. When I found out I was sad and discouraged. I was admitted into South Shore Hospital for a week. During my stay, I met some of the most helpful staff members. On the last night of my stay, I received the nicest homemade card with my dinner tray,” Ms. DaRosa shared.

She added, “I still have the card in my journal to this day. That card was just the bit of encouragement I needed at such a vulnerable time in my life. I thought it would be an awesome gesture to pay it forward as a courthouse and make cards to someone else who could use some cheering up. As a team, we were able to make 30 homemade cards to donate to patients with MS or a similar diagnosis.”

Ms. DaRosa and her colleagues also celebrated Multiple Sclerosis Awareness Day by wearing orange articles of clothing or accessories, the official color that represents MS Awareness Day.