How to take part in World MS Day 2018!

New Year, new World MS Day campaign…welcome to #bringinguscloser!

Now is a great time to start thinking about ways to take part in World MS Day 2018. This year’s campaign is called #bringinguscloser and the theme is Research.

The #bringinguscloser campaign is about connecting people affected by MS with those involved in MS research, including scientists, students, nurses, fundraisers, volunteers, and more. It’s a chance to come together to celebrate what we’ve achieved in MS research so far and share our hopes for the future.

There are many exciting ways that you can use and adapt this campaign, or you might decide to mark World MS Day a little differently.

#Bringinguscloser to ending MS

The #bringinguscloser campaign celebrates all the ways that MS research is bringing us closer to ending MS. This includes not only scientific research, but also social research. So, for example, as well as celebrating the development of MS treatments, you could also use the campaign to celebrate such achievements as: surveys about the needs of people affected by MS that help to achieve positive changes; the creation of national MS databases; or other research that helps improve the quality of life of people affected by MS.

Soon, you’ll be able to download from the website a variety of exciting posters and images that celebrate progress in MS research so far. You can share these online and offline to spread a message of hope about the future of MS research.

If you’re organising an event for World MS Day, you could even invite people involved in MS research to share knowledge and experiences with people affected by MS, for example through a Q&A session.

#Bringinguscloser as a global community

This year’s campaign also presents an opportunity to bring us closer as a global MS community. In the run-up to World MS Day, we’ll be sharing profiles that show what motivates people who are involved in MS research, ranging from scientists and students to fundraisers and people living with MS. By sharing these profiles with your community, you can help to create global solidarity. Anyone involved in MS research will also be able to download a blank research profile template, which you can fill in and share through your own channels. Or, you could come up with your own way to create a research profile – perhaps even make a video!

If you’re part of an MS organisation, you could also use the campaign to celebrate the many ways that your work brings people affected by MS closer to each other, such as support groups and networks.

Other ways to get involved

You could hold an event to bring people together, whether that’s a seminar to educate people about MS, an information stall to raise public awareness, a musical performance, or something entirely different. Take a look at these ideas for inspiration!

Over the next couple of months, you’ll be able to download all of the tools for World MS Day 2018 and share these online or in print format. Be sure to also subscribe to the World MS Day newsletter for all the latest updates in the run-up to the day (April-May) and keep an eye on our Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram for more details!