April 22, 2022 News by Mary Chapman MSAA Plans In-person and Virtual Events for May The Multiple Sclerosis Association of America (MSAA) is presenting virtual and in-person ways to support its eighth annual Improving Lives Benefit, which will showcase more than a half-century of efforts for the multiple sclerosis (MS) community. The virtual event, themed “Together at Home,” will be held at…
March 15, 2022 News by Mary Chapman MS Read-a-Thon in Canada Extended to Meet Goal The MS Society of Canada‘s virtual MS Read-a-Thon event has been extended to March 20, giving children and families throughout Canada extra time to enjoy reading while raising funds for the multiple sclerosis (MS) community. The event, which began Jan. 27, seeks to generate $110,000 to…
March 1, 2022 News by Mary Chapman Patient Experience Takes ‘Shape’ for MS Awareness Month From celebrating artists’ works to sharing stories that bring to life the experience of multiple sclerosis (MS), Multiple Sclerosis Awareness Month is designed to call attention to this neurodegenerative disorder and the nearly 1 million U.S. residents it’s thought to affect. MS can cause a host of physical…
January 17, 2022 News by Mary Chapman ‘No Surprises Act’ Aims to Rein In Out-of-network Billing in US Under rules in the No Surprises Act, insured patients people in the U.S., including those with multiple sclerosis, should no longer receive unexpected medical bills for emergency care or for treatment from out-of-network providers at facilities in their network. The act, which became effective on Jan. 1, prohibits…
November 15, 2021 News by Mary Chapman Wearable ‘Neural Sleeve’ Counters Foot Drop, Aids Mobility in Study People in a Neural Sleeve gait study were reported to show an “average improvement” of 143% in foot drop, a common symptom of multiple sclerosis (MS) and other conditions that hinder mobility, its developer, Cionic, reports. The wearable “bionic” device — which analyzes, predicts,…
November 9, 2021 News by Mary Chapman UK’s MS Pregnancy Register Seeks Improved Care for Women With MS It’s been a decade since the opening of the UK MS Register, which sought to gain a better understanding of how multiple sclerosis (MS) affects patients’ everyday lives, with a goal, according to its website, toward fueling campaigns for “fair, relevant policy and improved health care.” Now, the…
November 1, 2021 News by Mary Chapman New Podcast Focuses on Improving Self-image, Reclaiming Confidence A new podcast series hosted and produced by cultural expert Jess Weiner aims to help girls, non-binary individuals, and women, with their confidence. The target audience includes those with physical disorders, such as multiple sclerosis (MS), that may affect their self-image. Called “Dominant Stories with Jess Weiner,” the 12-episode…
October 27, 2021 News by Mary Chapman Musical About Mother Cabrini the Work of NY Playwright With MS A musical about the life of St. Frances Xavier Cabrini, the Italian-born Roman Catholic nun known as Mother Cabrini to the many immigrants in New York she served in the late 19th and early 20th centuries, tells Cabrini’s story through the eyes of a 13-year-old girl with multiple sclerosis (MS)…
October 21, 2021 News by Mary Chapman Adira to Use $750K Grant to Improve MS Care in Rural Areas of 4 US States The Adira Foundation received nearly $750,000 from the Bristol Myers Squibb Foundation to improve care and access for the roughly 5,000 multiple sclerosis (MS) patients living in rural areas of Maryland, North Carolina, Virginia, and West Virginia. Intended to enhance the access and delivery of specialized care to…
October 20, 2021 News by Mary Chapman Submissions Now Open for 2022 MSAA Art Showcase The Multiple Sclerosis Association of America (MSAA) is calling for submissions for its 2022 MSAA Art Showcase, an initiative that celebrates the work of artists who have multiple sclerosis (MS). The showcase, which began in 2009, gives MS patients in the U.S. the opportunity to share their…
October 11, 2021 News by Mary Chapman Yoga Moves MS Virtual Health, Wellness Forum Set for Nov. 6 Yoga Moves MS is not letting the pandemic keep it from its annual educational event for those with multiple sclerosis (MS) — on Nov. 6, the group will again present a virtual version of its Yoga Moves Holistic Health and Wellness Forum for MS. The four-hour forum seeks…
October 7, 2021 News by Mary Chapman New PBS Listings in Australia Will Lower Cost of Kesimpta for Patients People in Australia with multiple sclerosis (MS) and certain other medical conditions will have access to new and expanded medications — including Kesimpta — now listed on the Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme (PBS). Having these medications on the PBS will lower treatment costs for MS patients and their…
October 6, 2021 News by Mary Chapman MS Society Marks UK’s Black History Month With ‘Proud to Be’ Stories The MS Society in the U.K. is again marking Black History Month, observed each October in the United Kingdom, to celebrate and call attention to the needs of Black people in the multiple sclerosis (MS) community. To that end, the nonprofit organization is highlighting the stories and challenges…
September 14, 2021 News by Mary Chapman MS Trust Welcomes School Year With ‘Awareness Pack’ for Children The MS Trust has put together a free School Awareness Pack aimed at raising the profile of multiple sclerosis (MS) and dispelling some common disease misunderstandings in schools. Designed for teachers, school staff members, and students, the pack consists of information about MS and the U.K. patient…
August 27, 2021 News by Mary Chapman Canadians Urged to ‘Take Action for MS’ As the federal election looms in Canada, a nation that has one of the world’s highest rates of multiple sclerosis (MS), the MS Society of Canada is urging patients and advocates to inform candidates about issues of importance to the MS community. The letter-writing and social media campaign,…
July 16, 2021 News by Mary Chapman OM1 Launches MS Registry for Use in Research, Trial Planning OM1, a technology company focused on chronic conditions, announced that it has launched a multiple sclerosis (MS) registry to generate data that may ultimately be used to improve care and develop treatments for the disease. The OM1 registry is being touted as the largest, most representative MS data…
July 13, 2021 News by Mary Chapman Selma Blair to Open Summit for Young Adults With Chronic, Rare Diseases Selma Blair, the TV and film actor who is also a multiple sclerosis (MS) advocate, will headline next month’s second International Virtual Summit for young adults with chronic and rare disorders. Hosted by Health Advocacy Summit (HAS), the Aug. 7-8 event will focus on empowerment, resources, and connection. The event is…
June 22, 2021 News by Mary Chapman Advocates ‘Roll’ on Capitol Hill for Disability Rights In an effort to make sure those with spinal cord injuries and disorders (SCI/D) are included in disability legislation, the United Spinal Association and some 200 advocates recently gathered virtually for this year’s “Roll on Capitol Hill.” The annual event, in which advocates met with lawmakers, gives organization members…
June 17, 2021 News by Mary Chapman $1M Gift Will Expand Adventure-based Healing Program A $1 million gift from Velocity Global will help expand First Descents, an adventure program for young adults living with multiple sclerosis (MS) or other serious chronic conditions. The money will go toward program development and is expected to help First Descents reach 1,000 MS patients over…
May 19, 2021 News by Mary Chapman ‘4 Hours at Charlotte’ iRacing Event to Benefit NMSS Set for July 31 The National Multiple Sclerosis Society (NMSS) and iRacing are revving up for a special, July 31 motoring event to raise funds for the advocacy group. Called the iRacing 4 Hours at Charlotte Benefiting the National MS Society, the event will stream live at twitch.tv/iracing and marks iRacing’s…
May 7, 2021 News by Mary Chapman Canada’s MS Walk Returns for Awareness Month The Multiple Sclerosis Society of Canada‘s (MSSC) MS Walk fundraiser is still on for this month — May is MS Awareness Month in Canada — although in an altered form due to the pandemic. The annual nationwide community-driven event raises funds and MS awareness to help battle the neurodegenerative…
May 3, 2021 News by Mary Chapman MSAA Hosts First Virtual ‘Improving Lives Benefit’ on May 13 Despite the current challenging times, the Multiple Sclerosis Association of America (MSAA) will host its annual Improving Lives Benefit this year, albeit virtually. The May 13 event will spotlight the nonprofit organization’s community efforts over more than 50 years. The affair will be hosted by multiple sclerosis (MS)…
April 21, 2021 News by Mary Chapman One-third of Patients in the UK Hid MS Status, Poll Finds An MS Society survey found that about one-third of people with multiple sclerosis (MS) in the U.K. have kept their condition hidden from their partner, family members, employer, or work colleagues. To help mark MS Awareness Week, observed in the U.K. April 19–25, the nonprofit organization released…
April 2, 2021 News by Mary Chapman MS Run the US 3,260-mile Relay Keeps Going Despite Pandemic The pandemic notwithstanding, MS Run the US has fielded 18 runners — including eight with multiple sclerosis (MS) — to traverse the United States to raise awareness and funds to support MS research and to aid those living with disability caused by the neurodegenerative disease. The organization’s Ultra…
March 16, 2021 News by Mary Chapman Foot Drop Device Earns Innovation Challenge Prize As winner of the Lyfebulb and Bristol Myers Squibb Innovation Challenge in multiple sclerosis (MS), Evolution Devices will use the $25,000 in prize money to further develop a smart stimulation therapy that seeks to improve patient mobility. The innovative electrical device under development by Pierluigi Mantovani, co-founder…
March 5, 2021 News by Mary Chapman It’s March – Make Time for MS Awareness Note: This story was updated March 8, 2021, to note that tickets for MSAA’s Virtual Art Tour are still available for purchase. Activities are underway to mark Multiple Sclerosis Awareness Month, set aside each year to call attention to the neurodegenerative disorder estimated to affect almost 1 million U.S.
December 22, 2020 News by Mary Chapman MSAA Asks Patients to Take Survey Into Opinions on Clinical Trials People with multiple sclerosis (MS) are encouraged to complete a survey aimed at understanding the experiences and expectations of those with a chronic illness who have either participated in a clinical trial or may in the future. The questionnaire was created by Kayentis, an electronic solutions company, in…
November 26, 2020 News by Mary Chapman New $100M Program Aims to Improve Diversity in Clinical Trials A new $100-million program aims to improve the diversity of participants in U.S. clinical trials with the ultimate goal of achieving better health outcomes and parity in care for underserved patient populations. The initiative seeks to extend the reach of clinical studies to underserved populations in the nation’s urban and rural…
November 4, 2020 News by Mary Chapman Innovation Challenge Seeks Solutions From Entrepreneurs in MS Community A $25,000 contest is inviting entrepreneurs who have multiple sclerosis (MS), or take care of someone with MS, to pitch their non-therapeutic solutions for people with the neurodegenerative disorder. The virtual Innovation Challenge, which takes place in March 2021, is part of a collaboration between patient-powered platform Lyfebulb…
October 19, 2020 News by Mary Chapman Eli Lilly Aquires Disarm, Will Develop SARM1 Program for Axonal Degeneration Eli Lilly has reached an agreement to acquire Disarm Therapeutics, a biotechnology company developing a new class of disease-modifying treatments for patients with axonal degeneration, including those with multiple sclerosis (MS). In its announcement, Lilly committed to advancing Disarm’s prospective therapies, currently in preclinical development.