advocacy

The Multiple Sclerosis Society of Canada (MSSC) recently announced that five university students — either diagnosed with or affected by multiple sclerosis (MS) — were the 2016 recipients of scholarships worth up to $350,000 in tuition and other school-related expenses. All five winners will receive the support throughout the four years of their undergraduate degrees, which are…

There was an almost audible gasp in the room as I was making a presentation recently at a multiple sclerosis talk.  What did I say that was so shocking?  I merely said – if you don’t agree with your prescribed course of treatment, it is perfectly OK to speak up…

More than 900 people biked through the Mauricie region of Quebec, Canada, late last month, raising money for the Quebec Division of the Multiple Sclerosis Society of Canada (MSSC) and awareness for multiple sclerosis (MS) all-around. The 27th Medavie Blue Cross MS Bike,  the largest cycling-related fundraising event in North America, was an outstanding success —  surpassing…

The Government of New Brunswick added  Lemtrada (alemtuzumab), by Sanofi Genzyme, to the New Brunswick Prescription Drug Program (NBPDP) through special authorization for eligible patients with relapsing-remitting multiple sclerosis (RRMS). New Brunswick joins other Canadian provinces, including Ontario, Saskatchewan, Quebec, and Manitoba, in making this treatment available to RRMS patients, ages 18 and older, who have had…

The Quebec Division of the Multiple Sclerosis Society of Canada (MSSC)  announced that this year’s 27th Medavie Blue Cross MS Bike, a fundraising bike ride on roads alongside St. Lawrence River, will take place Aug. 27 and 28 in the Mauricie region. A total of 900 cyclists are set to participate in…

An innovation in multiple sclerosis (MS) research has been launched by the iConquerMS initiative — a longitudinal, prospective study called “REAL MS,” an acronym for “Research Engagement About Life with Multiple Sclerosis,” with a goal of accelerating research into personalized treatments for MS patients. This type of study collects repeat…

A new video series for multiple sclerosis patients in the U.S. looks to help them better understand the complex legal and planning issues they face. The series, put together by the National Academy of Elder Law Attorneys (NAELA) and Stetson University College of Law, in consultation with the National Multiple Sclerosis Society, is…

A&W Food Services of Canada is celebrating its “Burgers to Beat MS” day on Thursday, Aug. 25, and for an 8th year will donate $1 for each Teen Burger sold at any of its 860 restaurants nationwide to the Multiple Sclerosis Society of Canada (MSSC). Through such campaigns, A&W has  raised over $8 million since 2009…

The Multiple Sclerosis (MS) Foundation wants to mark its 30th anniversary by granting 30 more wishes to MS patients in need this year through its Brighter Tomorrow Grant program. To do this, the organization is asking the public to help it raise $30,000 before Dec. 1, so it can increase by 30…

  Do you remember when you applied for a handicapped license plate? I put it off for quite a while after I was diagnosed. After all, I could walk several city blocks fairly easily. I could still play a little tennis. Why did I need to park in a…

Individual health insurance coverage largely determines a multiple sclerosis (MS) patient’s access to disease modifying drugs in the United States, mainly because of the rising costs of newer medications and near-annual changes in insurance policy coverage, usually making such coverage more restrictive, researchers report.  These twin problems often leave MS patients relying on suboptimal therapies rather than those…

As interesting as it can be for patients with MS who hear about work being done to find the causes of multiple sclerosis, what we really want to see is research that is carried out to find a cure. Nothing more, nothing less. Of course, the development of new treatments…

The president of Colorado State University (CSU), Tony Frank, will be accepting the Norman Cohn Hope Award on behalf of his university, recognizing its work in advancing research into multiple sclerosis and helping people with the disease. The ceremony will take place at the Annual MS Society Dinner of Champions, set for Sept.

Editor’s Note: Multiple Sclerosis News Today welcomes Laura Kolaczkowski to our team of Patient Specialists and MS bloggers. As you will read in her introductory post below, Laura brings to her new column a wealth of Multiple Sclerosis related insights, both as a patient and activist/advocate for raising awareness and research…

In my weekly news review, I take a brief look, from my MS patient’s view, at a few of the stories behind the headlines that have appeared on Multiple Sclerosis News Today over the last seven days. 14 Celebrity Ambassadors For the Multiple Sclerosis Cause It looks as…

The National Multiple Sclerosis Society announced that it has received the largest gift ever given the organization by an individual — a $3 million, multiyear donation to establish and fund the Edward M. Dowd Personal Advocate Program, which aims to improve and expand personalized case management and care for people with…

The Multiple Sclerosis Association of America (MSAA), a national nonprofit organization based in Cherry Hill, New Jersey, announced the availability of three newly published resources for the multiple sclerosis (MS) community. These publications are available for free in both print and online editions at mymsaa.org, according to a press release. MSAA’s…

Welcome to this, the very first installment of my new regular column for Multiple Sclerosis News Today. Here, you can join the race to beat this disease. Run to win. First, let me introduce myself. I am, shall we say, mature — aged 63; having spent my working life doing what…

A new report by the Conference Board of Canada’s Canadian Alliance for Sustainable Health Care (CASHC) notes that employers and the Canadian government are not giving enough support towards increasing workforce participation among patients with multiple sclerosis (MS), despite the clear benefits such support would mean to not only the well-being of individuals…

A bicycle specially designed to mimic the symptoms of multiple sclerosis (MS) now has its own owner’s manual, and the group behind the bike’s creation is inviting anyone interested to build their own experience of the spasticity and physical discomforts so well-known to people with the disease. The manual, which…

LyondellBasell, an established name in the plastics, chemical and refining industry, has been honored with the Circle of Distinction Award from the National Multiple Sclerosis Society for raising $1.4 million to benefit the society and the multiple sclerosis (MS) community. Since 1998, the company has participated in the MS Society’s annual fundraiser in…

Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and other lawmakers met with members of the multiple sclerosis (MS) community and the Multiple Sclerosis Society of Canada (MSSC) at the start of May, MS Awareness Month, to discuss issues of importance to those living with the disease. From left: Hedy Fry, a member of Parliament;…

The National Multiple Sclerosis Society and Event360 announced the opening of the 2016 season of MuckFest MS, a 5K “mud run” and fundraiser with over 20 obstacles along its course to challenge and entertain people of all athletic levels. This year’s run will take place in 11 cities across the U.S., including a…

The National Multiple Sclerosis Society is welcoming Novartis Pharmaceuticals, for a fifth consecutive year, as a leading national sponsor of Walk MS, its annual fundraising and awareness-raising event. This year’s walks will also again feature the musician and multiple sclerosis (MS) ambassador David Osmond leading the society’s as part…

To celebrate the many family, friends, healthcare professionals, and advocacy communities offering vital support to people living with multiple sclerosis (MS) day after day, MSWorld and Biogen have created the #MySupportHero program. The social media campaign runs through March, MS Awareness Month, to allow people with MS to thank all those who encourage and…

Genzyme, a specialty care unit of Sanofi, announced that TV and film actress Madeleine Stowe will host its new online series, “Take Action on MS,” focusing on people living with relapsing multiple sclerosis (MS). Stowe, whose father had MS, works with Genzyme to educate people across the U.S. about daily life with the…

March is Multiple Sclerosis (MS) Awareness Month, and the  Multiple Sclerosis Association of America (MSAA) will be marking it with a campaign to educate and heighten public awareness of the disease and the needs of the MS community. For this campaign, the MSAA will dedicate each week in March to a…

Montel Williams, a TV and radio talk show host and advocate for medical marijuana as a treatment for multiple sclerosis and other chronic illnesses, has joined the board of KIND Financial, a technology solutions company, as a key advisor in efforts to support and expand the drug’s use. “Montel Williams has become one…

Biogen is launching an initiative developed with the assistance of clinical experts — the 1MSg campaign — to educate and encourage multiple sclerosis (MS) patients to make disease management decisions that are well-informed and based on the latest scientific research. The campaign’s motto is “Take control, known your choices,” and one of its main…

The U.S. Senate health committee recently passed the “Advancing Research for Neurological Diseases Act of 2015” (S. 849), sponsored by Sens. Johnny Isakson and Chris Murphy, which would create a nationwide system to track the incidence and prevalence of neurological diseases, including multiple sclerosis (MS), and that one day might help lead to a…