Did you know that every year, the first week of March is dedicated to multiple sclerosis (MS) awareness in the United States? From March 3rd to March 9th, events will be held across the country to educate people about the four different kinds of MS and how the neurological condition impacts peoples’ lives.
In the U.S., the average person has about a 1 in 750 chance of developing MS. Worldwide, MS affects over 2.3 million people,1 and there are four different types – relapsing-remitting (RRMS), secondary-progressive, primary-progressive and progressive-relapsing. Each kind of MS varies by symptom and progression, and RRMS is by far the most common – 85% of new MS patients are diagnosed with this type. Learn more about the different kinds of MS.
If you are wondering how you can help raise awareness and get involved, you can:
- Find MS volunteer opportunities in your area
- Become an MS activist by joining the National MS Society’s MS Activist Network
- Participate in a walk, bike, challenge walk or MuckFest event
- Visit the MS community forums on PatientsLikeMe to share your own real-world experiences
More than 33,000 MS members are sharing their experiences on PatientsLikeMe, and together, we can
advance research and improve quality of life. What are you doing for MS Awareness Week?
1 http://www.nationalmssociety.org/What-is-MS/Who-Gets-MS