Tawasol – June 2017 issue

The Kuwaiti MS Association celebrated World MS Day this year in an event titled “You are not alone. We stand by you”. The event included education sessions and attended by people with MS and their families, health professionals, actress Zahra Al Kharji and representatives from other charity organisations including the Red Crescent organisation.

The Saudi MS Advisory Group launched World MS Day events this year in collaboration with Arfa MS Society and Saaed MS Society with an aim to raise the awareness around MS. The events were organised this year in four cities under the slogan of Saudi MS Day and titled “MS..Unity”.

The MS Society in Aden-Yemen carried out a programme with three key activities to mark the World MS Day this year. The first activity was an educational seminar. The second activity was distributing materials among the public to raise the awareness about MS. The final activity was a gathering event for people with MS where some of the attendees had chance talk about their experiences, young people presented a play about MS and there signing show as well as symbolic presents presented to people with MS.

The Lebanese Society for People with MS (ALiSEP) organised lecture to mark World MS Day under the auspices of Minister of Health where 500 people with MS and their family members attended. MS Specialists from France and Lebanon presented the latest news in the field of MS and its treatments. A young person with MS, Marine Barnerias, came from France to talk about her story in challenging MS when she made her world tour.

MS Society in Berkane Region – Morocco celebrated World MS Day this year by organising an educational event included different specialisations. Certificates of appreciations were also distributed and the event ended with a tea party.

The UAE MS Support Group celebrated World MS Day under the auspices of H.E Shiekh Nahyan Bin Zaid Al Nahya, Chairman of Zaid Bin Sultan Al Nahyan charitable and humanitarian foundation and his brother H.E Shiekh Omar Bin Zaid Al Nahyan. The event was hosted in the foundation Headquarters.

The Moroccan MS Association (AMMASEP) organised an event attended by more than 150 people with MS, relatives, media people and active members of the society such as the president of the Moroccan organisation for Human Rights. The Director of the National Health Coverage also attended. The event was educational that allowed for discussions between people with MS and health professionals in different specialisations. People with MS used printed “MS can’t stop me” cards to write down words to show how they challenge MS.

The Algerian Federation for MS selected 20 May to celebrated World MS Day by organising an educational event titled “Life with MS”, where representatives from active organisations in the field of MS participated including SEPOIR from Algiers, SEP ESPOIR from Ouran, Mistkat from Sidi Abul Abas, SEP BOUNA from Enabba, Qousantina Society, Shalghom El Eid Society, Tizi Ouzou Society.

Tunisian MS Association (ATSEP) celebrated World MS Day using the slogan “Life with MS” under the auspices of Minister of Health. The President of the French MS Society ARSEP AND Head of Neurology at Dijon Hospital gave a lecture about current and future MS treatments. There were other lectures delivered by health professionals on different topics on MS. The event had intensive media and press coverage.

As part of Al Hayah MS Society awareness-raising campaign the organisation distributed printed materials among Al Rashid university students.

The MS Society in Loran – Algeria organised a media and awareness day as well as educational day in coordination with Loran University hospital and Neurological Directorate on the occasion of World MS Day.

250 newly diagnosed people with MS attended MS Care Society Egypt event to celebrate World MS Day. The event was attended by Egyptian actress Mahmoud Heggazi who played a role of a person with MS on the TV. The event was attended by MS Medical Units of Ain Shams University, Cairo University and Al Azahar University. The society also displayed the newly made video featured the Egyptian Olympic champion Hedaya Malak.

Al Hanaa MS Society in Fes – Morocco celebrated World MS Day this year differently. There were mix of educational, entertaining and sports activities.

Saaed MS Society – Saudi Arabia, in collaboration with the civil aviation authority, launched an awareness raising-campaign in international and domestic terminals in Saudi Arabia. The campaign aims to educate patients with MS and the society with guidance during their travel, about the most important procedures and practices to be followed, and what people with MS should avoid to prevent stress or the appearance of symptoms.

The Society of Lebanese Friends of Patients with Multiple Sclerosis (ALSEP) collaborated with the Lebanese Neurological Society with the participation from Friends of MS and MSSL to hold an event titled “Never Give Up” for World MS Day. The event started with a discussion between health professionals and people with more than 300 people with MS about treatments and latest MS news. There was also singing, dancing, a magic show, and a yoga session.

Arfa MS Society in Saudi Arabia organised number of activities during the month of May as part the society's programme for World MS Day. The society organised the second charity dinner in Al Gohara museum in Al Damam and it was attended by 200 people. The society organised a workshop on physiotherapy needs where participants went through checks, walking and balance tests, and carried out number of exercises. The society also participated in the educational event organised in collaboration with MS Advisory Group and Saaed MS Society.

Bahraini MS Society celebrated World MS Day by organising an educational day about MS, symptoms, coping with MS and latest treatments. The event was organised under the auspices of the Undersecretary of primary care and public health at the Ministry of Health.