MS Awareness Month events highlight advocacy, education, fundraising
Nationwide efforts aim to support and empower people with MS
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Organizations nationwide mark MS Awareness Month in March.
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March is MS Awareness Month, spotlighting the disease affecting about 1.8 million people worldwide.
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Campaigns aim to expand education, advocacy, and awareness among the public, researchers, and healthcare professionals.
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Events include fundraisers, educational programs, and resources emphasizing self-advocacy for people with MS.
This March, organizations and advocates are marking Multiple Sclerosis Awareness Month with fundraisers, educational events, and other activities to spotlight the disease and its impact on an estimated 1.8 million people worldwide.
The annual campaign reaches beyond the general public to include researchers, lawmakers, industry leaders, policymakers, and healthcare professionals. Its goal is to expand education, advocacy, and awareness efforts around multiple sclerosis (MS).
MS Awareness Week will be observed March 8-14.
MSAA focuses on self-advocacy throughout March
Beginning March 2, the Multiple Sclerosis Association of America (MSAA) will present a range of events and programs during the month under the theme, “Your MS, Your Voice: The Power of Self-Advocacy.” The organization is also highlighting its year-round resources.
“In recognition of MS Awareness Month, the Multiple Sclerosis Association of America (MSAA) is honored to highlight vital resources and helpful strategies focusing on self-advocacy for the MS community, while continuing to advance awareness of multiple sclerosis within the broader community,” Amanda Montague, MSAA’s interim president and CEO, said in an email to Multiple Sclerosis News Today.
“We recognize how important self-advocacy is in managing one’s MS, from treatment choices to lifestyle changes. To assist with these challenges, MSAA provides life-changing resources, along with support to the multiple sclerosis community — and this includes valuable tips and guidance for effective communication with one’s healthcare team — ultimately strengthening the shared decision-making process,” she added.
Montague said she’s excited to present the organization’s annual Art Showcase again, featuring inspirational artwork from people nationwide living with MS. This year’s exhibit will include a record number of artists and will be available on the MSAA website. The organization will also spotlight an Artist of the Month throughout the year.
In recognition of MS Awareness Month, the Multiple Sclerosis Association of America (MSAA) is honored to highlight vital resources and helpful strategies focusing on self-advocacy for the MS community, while continuing to advance awareness of multiple sclerosis within the broader community.
“We continue to be inspired by the artists, their artwork, and the stories they share, which often highlight the therapeutic value of art,” Montague said.
The organization will also offer a two-part podcast series, presented on March 9 and March 16, titled “Beyond the Chart: Strengthening Self-Advocacy Through Communication.” The series will provide strategies for communicating effectively with healthcare providers and will feature Annette Howard, MD, the medical director of the Multiple Sclerosis Institute of Texas in Houston, and patient advocate Kate Durack.
In addition, the MSAA will present an educational video on March 23, titled “Advocacy Starts with You,” featuring MS specialist Erica Rivas, MD, and Anita Williams, a patient advocate who was diagnosed with MS in 2015. The video will explore how people living with MS can effectively advocate for themselves in their families, communities, and healthcare settings.
Throughout the month, the organization will also offer self-advocacy tips and resources for the MS community.
MSAA fundraising event supports free programs
On March 20, the MSAA will host a fundraising event at the Cherokee Town Club in Atlanta, Georgia, with proceeds benefiting the organization’s free programs and services. “Women of Action — a Celebration in Blue for the MS Community,” will include a fashion show featuring people living with MS, guest speakers, an award presentation, and a reception and luncheon. Individual tickets are $175, with tables available, and attendees are encouraged to wear blue attire.
“This event provides the perfect opportunity to participate in an inspirational and uplifting event, while improving the lives of those impacted by MS in our community,” the organization states on the event’s webpage.
Elsewhere, the Veterans Affairs Multiple Sclerosis Centers of Excellence, which seeks to improve the quality of life for U.S. veterans with MS, is marking the month by sharing stories from those affected by the disease. The centers will also present a live webinar on March 25 about MS care for veterans.
The Multiple Sclerosis Foundation is also hosting expert-led webinars and launching a comprehensive booklet to mark this year’s theme, “Yesterday, Today, Tomorrow: Four Decades of MS Focus,” which highlights the 40 years of progress in MS diagnoses, treatments, and access to care. On March 23, the foundation will host an online presentation titled “What’s Ahead in MS Treatment.”
National MS Society leads Awareness Week campaign
For MS Awareness Week, the National Multiple Sclerosis Society (NMSS) will present “MS Unseen,” a campaign that shares stories from the MS community “to reveal the many ways MS shows up — the ones you can see and the ones you can’t,” according to a webpage about the effort.
The organization is also providing an MS Unseen toolkit for the month, with a focus on the Awareness Week, that includes sample social media posts, fundraising support, images, and other downloadable resources.
The NMSS is also offering do-it-yourself ways to raise awareness and funds, including joining its March to End MS Challenge. The event seeks to raise $100,000 to support people with MS by encouraging participants to engage in any activity — such as gardening, running, stretching, or meditating — to raise funds and inspire others to join the challenge.
“Research has delivered meaningful progress, but MS remains unpredictable,” the organization states. “Until we end MS, there’s still more to do. Let’s end MS together.”
