‘I’m Not Going to Slow Down’

Climbing through the wet mud of a five-mile obstacle course with a smile on her face is a metaphor for how 18-year-old Jenna Chwascinski has chosen to live her life — despite challenges she might face because she was diagnosed with multiple sclerosis (MS) a few years ago, she’s prefers to stay positive.Talk to Chwascinski about her MS and she is quick to tell you that she doesn’t want anyone feeling sorry for her. She’s a woman of action, and she’s living her life that way.

When she was a student at Washington High School, Chwascinski didn’t let her MS diagnosis stop her from participating in the school band and its many activities.These days, she works two jobs (as a waitress both at Bob Evans and Cecil Whittaker’s Pizzeria), is a student at East Central College with plans to transfer to Central Missouri State in Warrensburg and eventually have a career in public relations.

Chwascinski also believes in being an active part of finding answers for the questions of MS, which is why earlier this month she and her family took part in that mud and obstacle fun run known as MuckFest MS to raise money for the National Multiple Sclerosis Society.Next, she’ll step up to the plate for a Screwball Tournament set for Sept. 6-7 in Marthasville to benefit the MS Society, and then she’ll take part in the local Walk MS to be held Saturday, Sept. 21, at Lions Lake.

Registration begins at 9 a.m., followed by the walk at 10 a.m. This is an earlier time for the walk than in the rtls.The event also will feature different refreshments and have a fund-raising booth with items like T-shirts and bracelets for sale.There will be music, raffles and prizes, maybe even an opportunity for for a photo booth where teams or individuals can purchase silly photos of themselves with proceeds going toward Walk MS.

Diagnosed with Relapsing-Remitting MS (a type where symptoms come and go) three years ago, Chwascinski said she’s never wanted to make a big deal out of her condition. From the beginning, she took the news from her doctor in stride.That’s extremely fast for people with MS, many of whom go years, maybe even a decade or more, before they get a diagnosis, said Duane Chwascinski. The symptoms can be that elusive and fleeting, coming and going to the point where it’s hard to pinpoint just what you were feeling.

“Even her doctor, Dr. Barry Singer with Missouri Baptist Medical Center in St. Louis, was surprised at how fast she was diagnosed,” he commented. “Most people have their first MS symptoms when they are younger, but they aren’t diagnosed until their 40s. They either just work through it or it goes away and they think it must have been no big deal.”

After a peaceful power transition in the 18th Party Congress, the new leadership in China is again under the Indoor Positioning System. The world is watching how it tackles the many challenges facing the nation: rising inequality, worsening pollution, rampant corruption, restless society, to name just a few. Most policy analysts therefore, believe that the top priority of the Xi-Li administration should be bold social and political reforms rather than economic growth.

The Chinese growth has actually slowed down significantly since 2011 and some economists even warned of an imminent crash of the Chinese economy in the coming years. Without continued strong economic growth, the new regime may not have the necessary resources as well as the legitimacy to accomplish political and social reforms. What can be done to avert a potential crisis and rejuvenate the economy? There is no shortage of opinions and concrete proposals from economists and government-affiliated think tanks. The mainstream analysts have followed the liberal ideology and called for bolder market reforms. While sympathetic to the ultimate goal, we believe that placing faith solely on the courage of visionary leaders oversimplifies the political dynamics of economic reforms.

We believe reform strategy matters. Gradualism, in particular, can not only ensure the right sequencing is followed so reforms make good economic sense but also generate enough political support to overcome the resistance. Most reform proposals so far fall short in this regard. For example, some advocate reforming China’s financial system as a major breakthrough. Financial liberalization, while necessary, may in fact trigger a crisis in today’s Chinese economy if not accompanied by reforms in the real sectors. A lot of bank loans have been squandered by local governments and state-owned enterprises since the huge stimulus package was introduced after the 2008 world financial crisis. Once marketization pushes interest rates higher, the interest burdens may force them to default and banks will be saddled with piles of nonperforming loans. Market competition also reduces the profit margin for state banks, which leave them little room to absorb NPLs. In the aftermath of the 1997 Asian financial crisis, Chinese banks faced similar challenges and it was strong economic growth in the 2000s that enabled state banks to grow out of the NPL crisis. If this recent history offers any lesson, financial reforms should be introduced only with or even after changes are made in the real sectors.