Multiple Sclerosis Awareness Month 2021
Stay tuned for MS Awareness Month 2022 details coming soon. Get ready to make your impact and show your support today!
March is Multiple Sclerosis Awareness Month, and MSAA is proud to support this national campaign with several online educational activities. MSAA has focused the 2021 awareness initiative on Improving Mental Health and Wellness with specific programs addressing Purpose in Life, depression and anxiety in MS, care partnering, and wellness strategies to improve symptom management and overall quality of life.
Please join us for the following free MS Awareness Month activities:
Live Webinars
Finding Purpose in Life
featuring Adam Kaplin, MD, PhD
Thursday, March 4, 2021, 8:00 – 9:00 pm Eastern
Purpose in Life (PIL) is a research area that focuses on the interactions between mind and body and the powerful ways in which emotional, mental, social, and spiritual factors can directly affect health. PIL has been shown to significantly support the central nervous system, cardiovascular health, and even the immune system – reducing inflammation and calming overactive immune-system activity.
In this webinar, Dr. Adam Kaplin, clinician-researcher in the departments of psychiatry and neurology at Johns Hopkins Hospital, explores:
- the concept of having a Purpose in Life and why it has come into vogue again
- health consequences of having/not having a Purpose in Life and why it is important
- ways to develop and foster your own Purpose in Life
Following the presentation, participants were encouraged to ask their questions to Dr. Kaplin via a live chat feature on the webinar platform. Watch this video.
Managing Depression and Anxiety in MS
featuring Amy Sullivan, PsyD, ABPP
Tuesday, March 16, 2021, 8:00 – 9:00 pm Eastern
Depression is a common and often overlooked symptom of multiple sclerosis, and anxiety is perhaps the most taxing and under-treated psychological effect of living with MS. Understandably, these significant health issues have been exacerbated by the physical, emotional, and financial toll of the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic.
Recognizing the need to address these important concerns, MSAA encourages you to view this one-hour webinar where Dr. Amy Sullivan, clinical health psychologist at the Mellen Center for MS Treatment at the Cleveland Clinic:
- builds an understanding of depression and anxiety as it relates to MS and its symptoms
- discusses the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on people living with MS and their family
- provides helpful strategies to treat and manage depression and anxiety, as well as improving one’s overall mental health and wellness
Following her presentation, Dr. Sullivan fielded participant questions from the webinar’s live chat feature. Watch this video.
MSAA Podcast
Listen to the Latest Podcast Episode:
Caring for the Care Partner
Featuring clinical health psychologist Dr. Amy Sullivan who addresses the often overlooked but important physical and emotional needs of care partners and provides practical tips and suggestions on ways to avoid care partner burnout. Listen to this episode.
Sign up to receive email alerts when future podcast episodes are available.
Insights from MS Experts
MSAA has enlisted the support of Drs. Annette Okai and Mitzi Joi Williams to share their insights and helpful strategies on ways to better manage four key areas that impact mental and emotional health. Topics explored in this four-part series center on:
The Importance Of:
Each week during March, MSAA will highlight one of these four topics on our peer-to-peer platform, My MSAA Community. We invite you to join us on My MSAA Community to learn more throughout the month.
Please make a donation today
Your support allows us to continue to help more people in more places with our vital programs!
Other Awareness Month Links
- Press Release from MSAA
- Other Digital Programs – check out our Calendar of Events for information about more digital educational opportunities and other online events in March
- MS Conversations blog – read new posts from MSAA and our guest bloggers during MS Awareness Month
- My MSAA Community – join our growing online community platform and share your own story about MS during March
- ABC’s for Good Mental and Emotional Health (PDF) from the Summer/Fall 2020 issue of The Motivator.
- 6 Things I Never Did Until After My MS Diagnosis – by Cathy Chester on Healthline.com
- Brushstrokes of Healing for People with MS – by Hannah Garrison on Healthline.com
MSAA Art Showcase 2021
MSAA is very proud to celebrate the work of artists affected by multiple sclerosis. Enjoy new submissions from artists with MS, including our latest Artist of the Month.
Please also join MSAA for a series of virtual fundraising events highlighting art as a way of therapeutic expression and connection. We are pleased to partner with Healthline in supporting MSAA’s upcoming Improving Lives Through Art virtual events.