Because the steroids she was taking to alleviate her MS would not allow her to sleep, Richens found herself one winter morning staring at the financial network on television at 4 a.m. "I thought I was going crazy," she said. Suddenly the anchorman announced that the U.S. Food and Drug Administration had approved a new drug, REBIF, which had been having dramatic results for MS sufferers in Europe.

A telephone number was provided for MS Lifelines, an information hot line, and Richens "hit redial until 8 a.m. I was their first caller."

Richens said MS Lifelines was the answer to her prayers. "They did everything for me," she said. "My insurance wouldn't cover the drug because it was so new, so they paid for it. They sent a nurse to teach me how to care for myself and take the medication. Talking to the hot line was like talking to a bartender late at night. I could let out all my secrets. I wasn't alone."

With daily injections of REBIF and a regimen of six other drugs, Richens' symptoms began to recede. She still was unable to walk without shuffling, but she knew she was getting stronger.

CLICK TO READ MORE: "Carolyn Richens feeds a flake of hay to one of her American quarter horse geldings while making the rounds in her stable in Pittsfield on Monday afternoon. Richens, a Pittsfield resident, was diagnosed with multiple sclerosis nearly 10 years ago. With the help of drugs she remains a competitive barrel racer"