Laura Kolaczkowski comes from Beavercreek, Ohio, and worked at the University of Dayton for over 25 years until MS challenged her enough to go onto full-time disability. She is active in the MS community on multiple levels, and writes for her own personal blog, InsideMyStory and as a patient expert for MultipleSclerosis.net. Laura is the Lead Patient Representative and co-principal investigator for iConquerMS™, a patient powered MS research network. Laura freely admits her Liberal Arts background fuels her interest in patient engagement and empowerment and she struggles with the science of MS.
I’ve been at a conference the last few days where scholars from around the world are discussing health literacy. It’s a subject much more complicated than just wondering at ... Read more
When talking about MS research, we tend to focus on drug development because improved therapies, and even the cure for MS, will come from pharmaceuticals. But what do we ... Read more
Do you ever stop and ponder the value of MS drugs? I’m not talking about if they work and the ways they improve our lives. I’m thinking of the ... Read more
How many hours do the pharmaceutical companies think we have in our day? I ask because almost all of them have come up with very slick tools to use, ... Read more
What better time of year to talk about getting good sleep than heading into the fall season, which is followed by the dark days of winter? Although we are ... Read more
Many of you are considering making the switch to Ocrevus (ocrelizumab) as your disease-modifying therapy for multiple sclerosis. This is a switch I made recently. There are so many ... Read more
Advocacy comes in many forms, and recently I wrote about what advocacy by individuals might look like. The other type of advocacy we have going for those of us ... Read more
Do you ever stop to wonder about the people who write these great columns for Multiple Sclerosis News Today? I have the honor of knowing several of them via ... Read more
I recently spent time at the annual meeting of the Drug Information Association (DIA), listening to presentations and talking with industry representatives about the multiple sclerosis community’s needs. DIA is a ... Read more
If you’ve followed my writing, you already know I am committed to advancing patient-centered research and care. I am the lead patient representative and co-principal investigator for iConquerMS. One ... Read more
Editor’s note: This column is second in a series. Read the first part here. Just you wait! How many times have we heard those words or said them to ... Read more
I’ve done it! I made the treatment switch that so many people with multiple sclerosis are talking about: I said goodbye to Tysabri (natalizumab) and am now on Ocrevus ... Read more
The late Dr. John N. Whitaker was a world-famous researcher in multiple sclerosis. His work inspired many scientists to enter the field of MS and develop their skills and talents. Each year, the Consortium of Multiple Sclerosis Centers honors Dr. Whitaker’s memory by presenting one award for innovative research by a young investigator. — CMSC Annual Meeting Program
Editor’s note: Patient columnist Laura Kolaczkowski attended the 31st annual Consortium of Multiple Sclerosis Centers conference in New Orleans. The information in this article was taken from an interview ... Read more
I couldn’t help but smile when I saw “MS Comprehensive Care: A Team Sport“ listed as the title of the John F. Kurtzke Memorial Lecture at the opening of the ... Read more
How well do you bounce back when MS gets you down? An article called “Bouncing back again, and again: a qualitative study of resilience in people with multiple sclerosis” ... Read more
“Coping with Caregiver Burnout When Caring for A Person with Neurodegenerative Disease: A Guide for Caregivers,” published in the April 2017 issue of the Archives for Physical Medicine and ... Read more
I knew it was only a matter of time before my MS neurologist would have MS PATHS available to collect clinical data from people who have agreed to participate. ... Read more
The American Academy of Neurology‘s (AAN) 2017 annual meeting will bring together physicians who practice in all areas of neurology, including our own multiple sclerosis (MS) specialists. In a recent ... Read more
Pamela Arterbridge is one of 70 people at Ohio State University’s Multiple Sclerosis Center taking part in the open-label part of a clinical trial for ocrelizumab, now best known as Ocrevus. She ... Read more
A prominent neurologist, who was involved in early research into B-cell therapy, tells Multiple Sclerosis News Today about his positive experience of using ocrelizumab, now branded Ocrevus, with patients. Michael ... Read more
Have you ever used acupuncture? I have a number of times and would do so more often if it were a medical service covered by my insurance. Unfortunately, for now, ... Read more
The sky-high costs to Medicare for prescriptions of the MS medication H.P. Acthar Gel, as reported in Multiple Sclerosis News Today were highlighted at the Americas Committee for Treatment and Research ... Read more
I was in Washington, D.C. for a meeting, and had the opportunity to dine with some fellow multiple sclerosis advocates. I thought it might be of interest to get ... Read more
The role of the microbiome and its association with multiple sclerosis was the topic of several sessions and papers at the Americas Committee for Treatment and Research in Multiple ... Read more
Harold Weiner, MD, believes in using probiotics to help treat multiple sclerosis. He is such a believer that he did a presentation on the subject — “Probiotics in Multiple Sclerosis” ... Read more
Editor’s note: Columnist Laura Kolaczkowski writes from the Americas Committee for Treatment and Research in Multiple Sclerosis (ACTRIMS) 2017 Forum in Orlando, Fla., (Feb. 23-25). Two MS disease-modifying therapies, Ocrevus (ocrelizumab) ... Read more
Evidence supporting the use of Vitamin D for people with multiple sclerosis continues to grow but there remains many unanswered questions as well. Ellen Mowry, MD, Associate Professor of ... Read more
Editor’s note: Columnist Laura Kolaczkowski reports from ACTRIMS in Orlando, Fla. The second Annual Americas Committee for Treatment and Research in Multiple Sclerosis (ACTRIMS) got under way in Orlando, Fla., ... Read more
The MS world lost a very important person on Feb. 8. Britain’s Sir Peter Mansfield, Nobel Laureate, passed away at the age of 83. For most of us, his name ... Read more
There are many people with MS who miss out on easy access to care from multiple sclerosis specialists, and they often have few places to turn for trusted information, ... Read more
One of my sisters called to let me know that CNN was doing live coverage of the Women’s March that was taking place in all 50 U.S. states, as ... Read more
After my recent insurance experience, which I share here, I never again will wonder why some people give up on claiming their medical benefits. I have received Botox treatment ... Read more
Would you open your bank account and write a blank check to just anyone requesting something of value from you? Of course not. So, why would we do that ... Read more
Long-awaited approval of the multiple sclerosis drug Ocrevus (ocrelizumab) has been delayed by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration. What had been publicized widely as a late December 2016 ... Read more
We all know the credit card commercial with actor Samuel L. Jackson talking about the buying power and the return on a certain credit card. He speaks about the ... Read more
I make no secret that I believe MS nurse practitioners (NP) are the people who make the difference in an MS clinic. They are as knowledgeable as most neurologists ... Read more
Family Caregiver Month is observed each November, and it is estimated there are more than 90 million family members in the U.S. giving full-time care to people who have ... Read more
I recently had the opportunity to serve as a consumer reviewer of research applications submitted to the Multiple Sclerosis Research Program (MSRP) sponsored by the Department of Defense. I ... Read more
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