MS Awareness Week is dedicated to spreading the word about Multiple Sclerosis in order to help those around the world who are currently living with the disease. Trinity Homecare offer outstanding rated MS care for those who are living with the condition.
When is MS Awareness Week?
MS Awareness week 2020 is from April 20th to the 26th – and it’s a chance for us to come together to help those who are affected by the condition.
The focus of MS Awareness Week changes annually; with specific topics covered year on year. The focus this year surrounds MS and mental health, with people all across the country taking part in a range of activities in order to improve the overall quality of life for those with MS.
What is MS?
Multiple Sclerosis, or MS, is a condition that can affect the brain and spinal cord, causing a wide range of potential symptoms including problems with visions, arm or leg movement, sensation and balance. The lifelong condition can in some cases cause serious disability and is most commonly diagnosed in people in their 20s and 30s; one of the most common causes of disability in younger adults.
The condition does affect everyone differently, occasionally there can be mild cases of MS and the disease has been known to develop at any age. Research suggests that women are 2 to 3 times more likely to develop MS than men. In most cases, it’s possible to treat the symptoms of MS, although the average life expectancy of sufferers is slightly reduced.
This Year’s Focus
This year’s focus for MS Awareness Week surrounds MS and mental health. This is very fitting considering the extremely unfortunate circumstances we find ourselves in with the outbreak of Coronavirus. Since the restrictions of COVID-19 have come into place, many of us are feeling the negative impacts on both mental health and wellbeing. Multiple Sclerosis Awareness Week 2020 is the perfect opportunity to be there for those with MS.
Research suggests that over half of those living with MS feel that their mental health needs are not being met, and 72% of those living with MS feel anxious or depressed for more than several days in a month. The impacts of the current climate can obviously have a significant impact on this figure, which highlights the importance of MS Awareness Week 2020.
How can you get involved?
In order to help create a buzz around MS Awareness Week 2020, there are a number of ways that you can get involved and do your bit to help spread the word of the challenges for those with MS. Here are a few examples, but if you have an even better idea, go for it!
Donate to charity
A great way of doing your bit is through the old fashioned way… donating! A donation, big or small, can help specialist charities out there provide for those with MS through the funding of additional support in a number of ways.
For example, The MS Society is appealing for donations as an urgent appeal to expand its current services to provide for those in need. The charity’s helpline has witnessed a sharp increase in calls under recent circumstances, and you can help them be there for individuals who are currently in need.
Organise a virtual event
Under ideal circumstances, we could organise a huge meet-up this MS awareness week. It would be perfect to have a nice natter and a group effort in increasing awareness of important topics within the MS community. However, in light of current government guidance, it will need to be a virtual get together.
Currently, staying connected is more important than ever! So grab yourself a brew, get out the technology in the form of a tablet, laptop or phone and have a video chat with your friends, family or colleagues.
Spread the word on social media
Social media can give you a voice to be heard! There are a number of videos, infographics and useful documents available across charities such as the MS Trust. Sharing these across your social media channels can bring attention to MS Awareness Week; shedding light on the important topic of the impacts of such disabilities on mental health.
Use the hashtags #MSWeek and #ThisIsMS to connect with a multitude of people who are dedicated to MS Awareness Week 2020.
Share your story
This ties nicely together with the last point… share your story! Sharing your story on any platform you choose can raise awareness for MS, even via offline sources if that’s how you’d wish. Flooding social media with stories of MS can raise awareness of the problems and symptoms associated with the condition.
Let’s speak up together to help everyone understand what it is like to live with MS. Share what MS means to you, how you feel, and the impact it has had on your life – this still applies if you have supported a close relative or friend with MS. We want you to be heard.
Volunteer!
If it’s possible to volunteer whilst adhering to government guidelines… then get involved in MS Awareness Week 2020 by manually doing your bit to help out. This could be online, over the phone, or in person… there is a range of charities that you can reach out to.
Here are just some examples:
MS Care with Trinity Homecare
As Trinity has many years of experience providing the highest levels of care for those with Multiple Sclerosis, we understand how much of an impact the condition can have on someone’s lifestyle. We have been there to provide for those with MS and will continue to do so for many years to come – encouraging you to continue living life to the fullest. We understand the impact personalised care can have on enriching the lifestyles of those who need a helping hand. Contact us today to discover more about Multiple Sclerosis home care.
