A Brief Overview of Programs and Services Supported by the National MS Society By Keith Padien

As a longtime contributor to the National MS Society, I have engaged in a number of charitable activities for the organization, including walking 50 miles over 3 days in 2009 to support multiple sclerosis research and helping my wife raise sponsorship dollars for the 2011 Challenge Walk. The National MS Society uses funds accumulated from hundreds of fundraising walks, bicycle rides, runs, and other events each year to put toward programs for patients newly diagnosed with MS and in long-term care for the disease, for patients’ families and friends, and for caregivers and physicians treating the disease. These services exist across the United States through the Society’s many chapters.

Several of the National MS Society’s programs focus on outreach for persons with and affected by multiple sclerosis. For example, the MS Next Step initiative connects patients newly diagnosed with the disease to a range of resources, answers to commonly asked questions, and a complete overview of the services offered by the National MS Society. Similarly, the organization’s Knowledge Is Power program provides newly diagnosed individuals with a comprehensive, in-home educational series that reviews their treatment options, outlines the importance of healthy relationships, and describes some of the next steps to take following diagnosis. The Society also organizes health and wellness information and employment resources for individuals living with the disease, providing them valuable advice on controlling fatigue and reducing the effects of multiple sclerosis in the workplace.

The National MS Society maintains a rich variety of additional programs centered on multiple sclerosis care and support. Examples include MS Learn Online, a regular educational webcast series; a financial assistance service that supports independence and quality of life in persons with MS; and a scholarship fund to help students with multiple sclerosis or with parents who have the disease continue their academic pursuits.

To learn more about the services of the National MS Society, or ways to become involved with the organization, log on to www.nationalmssociety.org.

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