Personal stories of life with MS highlight March awareness month
'31 Days of MS,' webinars, art showcases, and MS 'moments' among offerings
From participating in educational programs to sharing stories that illuminate the multiple sclerosis (MS) experience, people nationwide are poised to participate in MS Awareness Month, observed each March.
Multiple Sclerosis Awareness Week starts on March 12.
The disorder, thought to affect about one million U.S. residents, can cause an array of physical problems, in addition to emotional challengesĀ such as anxiety and depression. Disease awareness and visibility are crucial for advancing MS recognition, and better patient diagnosis and management.
People sharing their thoughts and concerns run across ā31 Days of MSā
Throughout MS Awareness Month, Multiple Sclerosis News Today will run a series spotlighting patients’ challenges and perseverance and that of their caregivers.
Called ā31 Days of MS,ā the monthlong series will feature an individual sharing their MS experience each day. The stories, which cover a wide range of topics, also will appear on Instagram, Twitter, Facebook, andĀ Pinterest with the hashtag #31DaysofMS.
āWeāre trying to bring people in who have different perspectives,ā said Marco JimĆ©nez, social media manager at Bionews Inc., which publishes Multiple Sclerosis News Today. āNot just patients, but family members, friends, caregivers, MS experts, and so on. We need to be as diverse as possible.ā
A few slots are still open for the month, so those who wish to share a personal story should send their entry via email to [email protected].
āWe want to champion the voice of our community and find a space for inspiring stories,ā JimĆ©nez said. āSome of the stories will be about the challenges and struggles. We want to share what itās like to live with MS, especially for those with a recent diagnosis or for family members who need to learn about what some patients face.ā
The Multiple Sclerosis Association of America (MSAA) has events slated under the theme, āLife with MS: Different Stages of the Journey.ā Its campaign will focus on the various life stages of multiple sclerosis, including pediatric MS, young adults and MS, family planning and MS, and aging well with MS.
āThe Multiple Sclerosis Association of America (MSAA) is pleased to highlight the different stages of the MS journey as part of our MS Awareness Month efforts,ā Gina Ross Murdoch, the organizationās president and CEO, said in an email statement to Multiple Sclerosis News Today.
āWe are providing several digital educational opportunities for the MS community to learn more about important topics that impact various age groups ā from pediatric MS to young adults, as well as those older in age,” Murdoch added. “Given the complexity of MS and its changing effects over time, we recognize how vitally important these types of programs are for the entire MS community.ā
Artworks and helpful offerings marking MS Awareness Month
A webinar on Family Planning and Living with MS is scheduled for March 22 from 8 p.m. to 9 p.m. ET on the organizationās website, and on March 30 during that same time will be a webinar on Healthy Aging with MS. Two separate podcasts will cover young adults and MS and pediatric MS. Throughout the month, the MSAA also will post videos in connection with these webinar and podcast topics on TikTok and other social media.
March opens with the MSAA presenting its 2023 Art Showcase, a program that honors motivational artwork and shares the personal stories of people living with multiple sclerosis.
Art Showcase,Ā nowĀ in its 14th year, gives adults in the U.S. an opportunity to show their original creations, regardless of skill level. The initiativeĀ also aims to inspire artists who may be challenged by the disease’s varied symptoms. According to MSAA, it demonstrates that those with MS can meaningfully contribute to society.
While this yearās artworks and stories will premier on MSAAās website during awareness month, worksĀ can be viewed year-round. The artworks are done in a range of media, in addition to photography and graphic design, and each month features a different artist.
An MSAA virtualĀ fundraising effort is set for its Improving Lives Through Art spring series. On March 28, from 7 p.m. to 9 p.m. ET, a āpaint-alongā will be led by Art Showcase artist Omayra Rivera-Filardi. In addition, a Virtual Art Tour will take place on March 14 from 7 p.m. to 8:30 p.m. ET. Tickets for both events are available.
For MS week, the National MS Society (NMSS) will spotlight āMy MS Moment,ā a platform on which the multiple sclerosis journey is told through everyday life experiences. The organization is encouraging community members to create and share their own āMS moments,ā using the hashtag #MyMSMoment, to help raise awareness.
āThe National MS Society raises MS awareness every day, especially during MS Awareness Week … and throughout the month of March, where that awareness is amplified for the nearly 1 million people living with the disease in the United States,ā Cyndi Zagieboylo, NMSS president and CEO, said in an email statement. āJoin us, engage, help us accelerate progress. No one should face MS alone and the Society is here so no one has to.ā
In āMy MS Momentā videos, people with this progressive neurodegenerative disorder discuss their diagnostic journey, their uncertain future, and their diseaseās progression. One patient, āMarti,ā talks about her shifting MS symptoms.
āI am fearless, Iām driven, Iām passionate. Itās a little ironic that my MS is as aggressive as I am,ā she said in an emotional recording. āI struggle with tremors, double vision, brain fog, and chronic pain.
“One morning I woke up, tried to move my leg, it wouldnāt move. My thoughts were, ‘Is this going to be for the rest of my life, if the inevitable was finally happening to me?’ And then my leg started to tingle. Iād never been more grateful to be in pain again.ā