The Multiple Sclerosis Society of Canada is urging that all provinces and territories in Canada offer COVID-19 booster vaccines to at-risk populations, including people who are moderately to severely immunocompromised and multiple sclerosis (MS) patients. In letters sent earlier this month, in collaboration with 11 other health charities, the…
advocacy
I want to help in any way I possibly can. My lonely confusion in the early days after being diagnosed with aggressive relapsing-remitting multiple sclerosis was mentally and physically paralyzing. However, this column isn’t about how “Hurricane MS” battered my body. Instead, it’s about why I chose to…
The COVID-19 pandemic brought extra strain to already-stretched neurology services across the U.K., markedly affecting multiple sclerosis (MS) care and patients’ health, according to a report from the MS Society. These findings were consistent with those of a 2020 report from U.K.’s Neurological Alliance showing that the pandemic…
Tri Global Energy, an ongoing supporter of the National Multiple Sclerosis Society’s Dallas chapter, will be the title sponsor of one of the society’s premier fundraising events, “Dallas On the Move Luncheon.” The Dallas-based company, which specializes in renewable energy and energy storage, signed the sponsorship with a…
This year’s Women Against Multiple Sclerosis (WAMS) Gala, which aims to raise funds for multiple sclerosis (MS) research, will take place Nov. 5. In order to keep participants safe in the setting of the ongoing pandemic, the MS Society of Canada‘s initiative will feature three events held virtually:…
The National Multiple Sclerosis Society is accepting submissions for funding of new researcher-initiated proposals that help advance multiple sclerosis (MS) research and care in line with its Pathways to Cures Roadmap — to stop the disease in its tracks, restore what has been lost, and find a…
The National Multiple Sclerosis Society supports the use of a patient-derived bone marrow transplant to treat people with very aggressive relapsing-remitting multiple sclerosis (RRMS) who responded poorly to disease-modifying therapies (DMTs). This position is in line with a recent set of society recommendations on how and in…
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…
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…
The Accessible Product Design Alliance has released a statement calling for changes in products and packaging design to assure equal accessibility among consumers, including those with disabling disorders such as multiple sclerosis (MS). Composed of 11 nonprofit health consumer organizations in Australia and New Zealand — including MS…
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…
Belong.Life has launched an app that allows health professionals to build and manage their own online communities of multiple sclerosis (MS) patients. Called i-Belong – Connecting Communities, the app offers to healthcare providers, pharmaceuticals, and patient advocacy and other groups a platform to effectively and efficiently educate…
Most people with multiple sclerosis (MS) in the U.S. have health insurance, but many lack important other types of insurance, such as life insurance, short-term disability insurance, and long-term care insurance, according to an online survey of patients. Its findings suggest that MS patients who are likely to be…
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,…
The Multiple Sclerosis Association of America (MSAA) is inviting people to participate in its Improving Lives Through Art Series, a cycle of virtual fundraising events starting Sept. 14. The kick-off event of this four-part fall series is a virtual follow-along painting experience. Tickets can be purchased here…
D.C. United and its official sponsor, Leidos, opened a campaign to donate up to $20,000 to the National Multiple Sclerosis (MS) Society, the soccer team announced. The initiative aims to support the almost one million people in the U.S. living with multiple sclerosis (MS). Among them is…
Christina Applegate, star of classic ’90s films like “Don’t Tell Mom the Babysitter’s Dead” and TV shows like “Married with Children,” announced last week that she had been diagnosed with multiple sclerosis at age 49. She didn’t share much beyond that, only that it’s been “a tough road” since…
Trial Will Test Mavenclad for Advanced Progressive MS I often think that researchers have forgotten about people whose MS has progressed to an advanced stage. But MS patients who have moved into a wheelchair deserve treatment with a disease-modifying therapy as much as those who are just beginning their…
To the person who left the note on my windshield: I wish you would have asked. I would have told you that I have secondary progressive multiple sclerosis, a neurological disease that impairs my ability to walk. My MS has worsened over time and will continue to progress. I can’t…
Accessing healthcare providers knowledgeable about multiple sclerosis (MS) and being able to afford additional services to improve overall health were the most pressing healthcare concerns among Canadians with the condition, a survey suggests. “These findings provide healthcare planners prioritized concerns and a profile of [people with MS] that have…
“Burgers to Beat MS,” A&W Canada‘s annual fundraiser to support the MS Society of Canada and people with multiple sclerosis (MS), returns for its 13th year on Thursday, Aug. 19, aiming to raise over $1.5 million. Canada has one of the highest MS rates globally, with more than 90,000…
The Administration for Community Living (ACL) reaffirmed its support for the work of the National Paralysis Resource Center (PRC) in aiding people with paralysis — either due to multiple sclerosis (MS), accidents, or other disorders — with a five-year grant. Under a collaborative agreement, the PRC — operated…
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…
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…
Something crazy happened: I felt the strength slowly run out of my leg. It was like it needed a serious charge, but the charging port was nonexistent. I’d received some bad news a few days before that, and I think the stress of the news caused a flare-up. My…
John and Catherine Seibyl, both alumni of Case Western Reserve University (CWRU) in Ohio, have pledged $7.5 million to the university to advance multidisciplinary research into multiple sclerosis (MS) and other neurodegenerative diseases. The funds will be shared strategically between CWRU’s School of Medicine and the Frances Payne Bolton…
My tough day started when Brenda asked, “Why do you use that scooter?” Brenda was sitting behind a desk at the Charlotte County Tax Collector’s Office in Florida, where my wife, Laura, and I hoped that transferring our driver’s licenses from Maryland to Florida would be an easy chore.
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…
Life is composed of little awakenings. These epiphanies broaden our horizons. Each invites us to become better versions of ourselves. And while not always welcome, most are necessary for growth. I recently flew across the country to the corporate office of Bionews, the company I work for that…
The Autoimmune Registry (ARI) has opened a fundraiser, called “Cure the Mother’s Disease,” to support the development of a tool that might detect multiple sclerosis (MS) in early stages during an eye exam. This fundraiser, …