May 30th marked the World Multiple Sclerosis Awareness Day and Abarcans wore orange and as part of the worldwide effort to bring visibility to the nearly 2.5 million people living with this condition every day. We at Abarca believe that bringing awareness to MS is necessary in providing the steps toward a better way in managing the condition and improving the patients’ overall quality of life.
What is Multiple Sclerosis?
Nerves are the body’s best friend. We rely on them to send vital messages between the brain and the rest of the body as tiny electrical signals but in a person with MS, those messages don’t get where they need to go. According to the National MS Society, MS is an autoimmune disease that damages the protective lining of nerves, ‘disrupting the flow of information within the brain, and between the brain and body.’ Symptoms vary from person to person and in many cases, may appear to be invisible –though are often disabling. People with MS may have trouble walking, and may experience numbness or tingling in their hands or feet. They may also have trouble seeing and suffer from memory loss.
What causes MS?
The cause of the condition is still unknown, though scientists believe that a combination of environmental and genetic factors contribute to the risk of developing MS. Most people are diagnosed between the ages of 20 and 50, with at least two to three times more women than men being diagnosed with the disease. There is no cure for MS, though there are several medications that can help control the varying symptoms.
World MS Awareness Day
World MS Awareness Day is coordinated by the MS International Federation and its associated members around the globe. This year’s campaign, My Invisible MS, promoted the theme of visibility, giving a voice to those affected by providing a platform in which they could share their unique experiences and express what they wish others to know and understand about the condition. The campaign is a part of a greater endeavor to confront the common misconceptions associated with MS and in turn, help people understand how to provide the right support.
Abarca’s participation in the My Invisible MS campaign is part of our Better Care Community Program –an initiative aimed at making healthcare awesome, while at the same time, supporting community organizations that make health services more accessible and bring awareness to conditions affecting our communities.
Get involved
Find out more about World MS Awareness Day, including events happening in your area, the latest news posted from around the world, and tools available to aid in your World MS Awareness Day campaigns. Join Abarca in spreading awareness and advocacy for more research funding so that one day we may live in a world free of MS.