Two runners stand side by side smiling at a marathon
A group of people at the Japan seminar gather for a group photo

The Japanese MS community enjoyed a busy day of lectures, discussions, and inspiring speeches at the Japan MS Society’s sixth MS Seminar in March.

Held in Tokyo, the event welcomed people affected by MS, their families and friends, MS professionals, and the general public to learn about new MS research and hear personal accounts of MS from special guests.

Highlights included the presentation of new research from three young recipients of a special grant from the Japan MS Society: Dr Shinoda, Dr Yamamoto, and Dr Raveney.

Those in the audience expressed admiration for the three doctors. “My son is a person with MS”, explained one participant. “I look forward to telling him about these outstanding reports, because it gives me such hope for the future.”

Inspiring stories

Attendees also enjoyed moving speeches from several inspirational people with MS, including Cheryl Hile, a runner living with the condition. During her talk, Cheryl shared her journey towards completing eight marathons in eight continents in one year.

One audience member, who has a daughter with MS, felt particularly inspired by Cheryl. “My daughter almost gave up running because of her MS – I will tell her Cheryl’s story tonight to give her confidence that she can keep running”.

The day concluded with an open discussion between MS professionals and people affected by MS, offering participants a fantastic opportunity to ask questions about MS, share experiences, and learn from each other.

Click here to find out more about the Japan MS Society (external link opens in a new window).