MS Awareness Week

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MS Awareness Week
Monday 27th April - Sunday 3rd May 2015
It's MS Awareness week and MS Research would like to thank you for all of your efforts and contributions and let
you know how we are working toward a future without MS.
Listen to people with MS and those who share their lives.
Learn more about the problems they face every day.
Act to address and alleviate those problems.
So far this year the following research is being funded by your generous donations.
Treatment:
Some of you may be aware that a new super hospital has opened in Southmead in Bristol and MS Research have contributed toward facilities that will
enable us to continue our support for nationwide research into Multiple Sclerosis. We have also agreed funding for a Physiotherapist Clinical
Assistant to work alongside the BrAMS (Bristol and Avon MS) clinical centre's MS Specialist Physiotherapist and our MS research team's Specialist
Research Physiotherapist when the new department opens. This will enable us to develop the next level of treatments and research projects.
Supported by the neurological team at BrAMS this role will help to further promote our commitment to listening, learning and acting and to fund
research and develop general interest to translate research outcomes into action for better treatment.
MS Research continues to support the delivery of Functional Electrical Stimulation (FES) clinics helping patients who have foot drop to walk more
easily. MS Research would like to extend the delivery of FES Clinics to more centres around the UK.
Education:
We funded travel costs for Dr Thomas Welton to attend an international summer school on new imaging techniques of value in MS. Thomas
works at Queen’s Medical Centre, University of Nottingham where he is studying how physical changes to the brain affect performance. We also
funded an occupational therapist to attend the FACETS (Fatigue: Applying Cognitive behavioural and Energy effectiveness Techniques to life style)
group therapy course to help people cope with fatigue, and a physiotherapist to attend the international RIMS (Rehabilitation in MS) meeting to
deliver a presentation on group exercise in MS.
As well as the projects listed above MS Research continues to support running our FACETS (Fatigue: Applying Cognitive behavioural and Energy
effectiveness Techniques to life style) Groups at our Meeting Point and to support training for other professionals who wish to develop FACETS
therapy clinics nationwide.
Ongoing Research and New Research:
MS Research continue to fund existing long-term research projects in an effort to address and alleviate the problems faced by those living with MS on a
daily basis and of course to find answers.
CRIC Imaging – we have approved two years of funding for Dr Jade Thai’s research into the better understanding of how fatigue affects function through
functional MRI Imaging. As well as scanning and research costs this includes funding a PhD student to analyse and present the data. The PhD post is
jointly funded with University of Bristol.
Tremor Control - Tremor does not affect everyone who has MS but it can occur and when tremor is severe it causes considerable problems with daily
activities. Currently there are few effective treatments for this problem and coping with it is often a matter of finding ways to do things that avoid
movement that generates tremor. Therapists, in particular occupational therapists can help but we feel that more needs to be done to understand the
nature of MS related tremor and to find ways of suppressing it. We have been working with engineering teams to make tremor measurements that will
help us understand the problem more fully and, we hope, lead to better treatment and management of MS related tremor.
Supporting Gloucester Royal Hospital's Consultant Nurse - a study on drug control in tremor. Funding includes time for a Consultant Nurse,
Physiotherapist and Neurological Consultants input.
Core Stability in Wheelchair Users – a new project to help positioning in wheelchair users with trunk instability. There are many unwanted consequences
of being wheelchair bound. We are starting to explore how we can help local NHS wheelchair providers and suppliers to improve some aspects of
wheelchair use. More news on these two items will follow in due course.
MS Research continue to fund the MS Meeting Point providing a venue where people can come together as individuals or in groups to find out more about
the resources available to people with MS and to attend occasional specialist information events. Our office and Meeting Point are open from Tuesday to
Friday each week and offer support and assistance for MS related issues or even just a friendly face and a cup of tea! Our aim is to promote "pop-up" MS
Meeting Points nationwide.
MS Research also attend various events throughout the year offering information and education about Multiple Sclerosis. From large professional events
such as disability expos to WI and Young Peoples groups we are happy to share our knowledge and encourage awareness. If you would like to have a
representative from MS Research visit your organisation please contact us and we will do our very best to make it happen.
If you have any questions or would like any further information please contact Abi Wiltshire on [email protected] or 0117 958 6986.
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