On 31 October 2009 the People with MS International Committee meeting featured a workshop for the first time. This included presentations and group work on the following topics: MS in focus, World MS Day and the UN Convention for the Rights of People with Disabilities.



Reni de Boer, Netherlands, informed participants about the UN Convention for the Rights of People with Disabilities.

The CEO Advisory Group meeting took place on 1 November 2009. In addition to discussing MSIF business, the meeting included an interactive session on social media by Graham McReynolds, Executive Vice President Marketing and Development US National MS Society, who advised participants that MS societies need to rethink how they communicate and showed a video about the social media revolution.

On 2 November 2009, the MSIF Board meeting featured discussions on MSIF's research, development, communications and advocacy activities including an evaluation of the first World MS Day. The Board voted in favour of accepting the All-Russian Public Organisation of Disabled People with MS as associate MSIF members and the Swedish Association of Neurologically Disabled (Neurologiskt Handikappades Riksförbund) as full MSIF members.


Ninfa Monarres Madrid, Mexico, receives MSIF’s 2009 James D. Wolfensohn Award for International Person with MS from Sarah Philips, MSIF Chairman.

The Council meeting on the 3 November 2009 included presentations by Ninfa Monarres Madrid, Mexico, 2009 winner of MSIF's James D. Wolfensohn Award for International Person with MS and Lori Schneider, USA, the first person with MS who climbed Mount Everest, who received a standing ovation.

“If I could hold my head up and climb mountains, I knew I could tell people about my MS,” Lori Schneider.

During the meeting, Siobhan Gilmour, UK, Ali Hijjawi, Palestinian Authority, and Kanya Puspokusumo, Indonesia, were elected as new board members. MSIF chairman Sarah Philips thanked the following outgoing board members for their commitment and support: Ines Acevedo, Argentina, Ole Busck, Denmark, Al Fraser, Canada, Robin Inchyra, UK, Ursula Spath, Germany, and David Torrey, Canada. In recognition of their outstanding contributions over many years, Al Fraser, Robin Inchyra and David Torrey were made Honorary Life board members.

The afternoon started with a screening of the World MS Day global campaign film. This was followed by group discussion of various aspects of the World MS Day strategy for 2010 including using celebrities and holding a common action for MS societies.

Thanks to the active participation of all those present, the meetings were very fruitful, allowing MSIF to move forward with a common purpose and combined energy.


Lori Schneider and Jim Ramsdell, USA (back, left), with Héctor García Caballero and Ana Silvia Barajas Vargas, Mexico (front, right), in Chicago.