World MS Day is officially marked on 30 May but activities take place throughout the month of May and early June.
The theme for World MS Day 2024-2026 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. The campaign calls for better MS training for healthcare professionals, new research, and clinical advancements in MS diagnosis.
‘Too many people with MS face delays in diagnosis because of low MS awareness and limited access to specialist services,” said Lydia Makaroff, CEO of the MS International Federation (MSIF).
“This campaign shines a light on those barriers and calls for urgent action to ensure that every person with MS can access the right diagnosis and care.”
What is multiple sclerosis (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.
The condition disrupts the efficiency of the central nervous system with symptoms including loss of motor control, fatigue, pins and needles, bladder incontinence, constipation and cognitive difficulties.
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.
