advocacy

The 2016 Fritz Krauth Award was given by the Paralyzed Veterans of America to Dr. Sarah Moyon, a researcher focusing on ways to understand and treat symptoms of diseases like multiple sclerosis (MS) and those of the spine. The award ceremony took place at Cleveland, Ohio, at the bi-annual board meeting of…

Disability from multiple sclerosis develops, on average, within 10 years of diagnosis. Financial catastrophe was often the consequence, until Congress passed the Achieving a Better Life Experience Act (ABLE Act) — signed into law on Dec. 19, 2014, by President Obama. This act allows you or anyone to…

Singer-songwriter Lori Jenaire is supporting the American Autoimmune Related Diseases Association (AARDA) #25for25 fundraising campaign with the release of her Top Five Billboard Hot Singles Sales debut “As You Are,” featuring Patrice Rushen. The song is a remake of the 1978 Pharoah Sanders’ R&B soul classic, which in its original version featured Phyllis…

The Multiple Sclerosis (MS) Trust is expressing its disappointment at the recent committee decision of the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) to not recommend Zinbryta (daclizumab) be made available as a therapy to MS patients using the public health system in England and Wales. NICE’s preliminary recommendation was based on a review of…

The National Multiple Sclerosis Society has launched an initiative, called Make MS Medications Accessible, calling for change in the pricing of multiple sclerosis (MS) medications in the U.S., which the group said need to be more affordable, and ways of acquiring them more simple and transparent. The initiative asks leaders of all…

In a presentation at a U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) public hearing earlier this month, the chief scientific officer of StemGenex Medical Group, Steven A. Brody, MD, PhD, said succinctly: “Stem cells have arrived and have captivated the scientific and medical communities. With this excitement comes responsibility and with this…

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…

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…

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…

  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…

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…

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…

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…

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…

The Co-Pay Relief program offered through the Patient Advocate Foundation has added a new financial assistance fund to its collection of resources for patients with multiple sclerosis (MS). The new fund is now available to financially eligible MS patients with health insurance coverage to support the costs of necessary treatment medicines. “Our case management department has been…

The National Multiple Sclerosis Society announced that its five-year campaign to raise $250 million has concluded with its goal fully achieved, allowing the society to launch more research into multiple sclerosis (MS) and effect more life-changing progress than at any other time in its nearly 70-year history. A total 818 research projects…

One of the teams participating in the 10th anniversary of the MS Melbourne Cycle, an annual biking challenge to raise money for MS Australia, has built a bicycle that as closely as possible replicates the physical difficulties and discomforts that typify multiple sclerosis (MS). A collaboration between the company Grey Australia, paralympic athlete Carol…

The Multiple Sclerosis Association of America (MSAA), a national nonprofit organization and leading resource for the multiple sclerosis (MS) community, recently announced that Gina Ross Murdoch has been named the association’s new president and CEO. Ms. Murdoch is now the MSAA’s leader in areas comprising strategic progress, programmatic growth, and business development strategies.

You probably haven’t heard of Edward Dowd. I hadn’t until I read about him in the latest issue of the National MS Society’s magazine, Momentum. I learned that Ed is a big-time landlord. The company he founded operates about a thousand rental apartments in the San Francisco area.

The United Kingdom based Multiple Sclerosis Society (MS Society) recently announced £1.98 million in grants to new MS research projects in different disease-related areas. A panel of experts carefully selected 16 projects to be funded through the MS Society’s 2015 grant round, totaling £1,979,879. All selected projects fulfill the requirements of…

Multiple sclerosis (MS) is a condition which damages parts of neurons resulting in inefficient communication within the nervous system. It is believed that autoimmune disorders and environmental factors, such as infections, can cause MS disease development. There is currently no cure for MS, although the disease can be managed by medications…

The Multiple Sclerosis Trust — a UK charity dedicated to providing information for anyone affected by multiple sclerosis, education programs for health professionals, funding for practical research and campaigning for specialist multiple sclerosis services, says the recent Update on UK report shows little improvement in meeting key objectives for…

MS Views and News (MSVN), a non-profit organization that works to improve education, advocacy and service to empower and enhance the quality of life of patients who suffer from multiple sclerosis (MS), has announced it will offer a series of educational events on different topics throughout the month of July in…

Most employers these days talk about having workforce diversity oriented policies that support hiring people living with disabilities and chronic diseases, but what distinguishes rhetoric from reality? What in positive, practical terms can companies do in support of helping people living with visible or invisible challenges find and keep gainful…

World MS Day is celebrated on May 27 as a day dedicated to those who suffer from multiple sclerosis (MS). In order to mark the occasion, organizations, companies, advocates, and communities are hosting events throughout the world to share inspiring stories, raise awareness about the disease and campaign to support both patients…

The Multiple Sclerosis Association of America (MSAA) is organizing a national fundraising campaign just in time for summer. The Swim for MS event will help the association fund activities and support the multiple sclerosis (MS) community with crucial services to help improve the lives of the 400,000 people in the United…