About World MS Day

A day of global solidarity, collective action and hope.

World MS Day

World MS Day is an international awareness day for everyone affected by multiple sclerosis (MS). It brings the global MS community together to share stories, raise awareness and campaign for change. World MS Day is officially marked on 30 May but activities take place throughout the month of May and early June.

The My MS Diagnosis campaign

The theme for World MS Day 2024-2025 is diagnosis. The name of the campaign is My MS Diagnosis and the tagline: navigating MS together.

The My MS Diagnosis campaign advocates for early and accurate diagnosis for everyone living with MS. It highlights the global barriers to diagnosing MS, raising awareness by sharing real stories and data. We are calling for better MS training for healthcare professionals, new research, and clinical advancements in MS diagnosis. Together we are building informed, caring communities and systems that support people diagnosed with MS.

Campaign Angles

My MS Diagnosis is a flexible, wide-ranging theme. Whether you’re individual or an organisation, you can choose to focus on a variety of angles when celebrating World MS Day, including:

Lobbying decision makers to improve early and accurate diagnosis for everyone living with MS
Highlighting global and national barriers to accessing an MS diagnosis
Building informed, caring communities and systems that support people diagnosed with MS
Raising awareness and building solidarity by sharing experiences of an MS diagnosis
Advocating for better MS training and awareness amongst healthcare professionals
Supporting new research and clinical advancements in MS diagnosis

What is MS?

Multiple sclerosis (MS) is one of the most common diseases of the central nervous system (brain and spinal cord). Today, an estimated 2.9 million people around the world have MS.

MS is an inflammatory demyelinating condition. It is caused by damage to myelin – a fatty material that insulates nerves. In MS, the loss of myelin affects the way nerves conduct electrical impulses to and from the brain. Symptoms can include blurred vision, weak limbs, tingling sensations, unsteadiness, memory problems, and fatigue.

Most people with MS are diagnosed between the ages of 20 and 40. MS is two to three times more common in women than in men. There is no drug that can cure MS, but treatments are available which can modify the course of the disease.

To find out more about MS, get in touch with an MS organisation near you or visit the MSIF website.

The Team

In 2009, the MS International Federation (MSIF) and its members initiated the first World MS Day. Together we have reached hundreds of thousands of people across the world, focusing on a range of campaign themes. Each campaign is developed in collaboration with an international working group of member representatives. Current representatives are from the United States, Greece, Argentina, Australia, India, Kenya, Tunisia, Spain and the United Kingdom.

Explore the toolkit

MSIF provides a toolkit of free resources to help everyone take part in World MS Day. Anyone can use these tools, or make their own, to create a positive change for people affected by MS around the world.

Toolkit