March is Multiple Sclerosis (MS) Awareness Month and a great opportunity to spread the word about multiple sclerosis, a chronic, unpredictable autoimmune disease of the central nervous system (CNS), as well as to introduce you to a new patient resource site, LiveWiseMS.org.

According to the National MS Society, there are over 400,000 people in the U.S. and 2.3 million people worldwide living with multiple sclerosis. Chances are that you see patients with MS in your practice and probably know people personally who are affected by this disease.

MS causes a varying array of symptoms, including balance issues, muscle spasms, cognitive problems, pelvic floor disorders, depression, disability, and much, much more. No two cases of MS are exactly the same, and there is currently no cure.

Advances in research and treatment have been on the rise in the past few decades for MS. There is hope on the horizon for potential new therapies and treatment options that seek to repair, as well as prevent, damage to the CNS. Current disease-modifying therapies (DMTs) only work to hold off any worsening of the disease; they do not treat or repair any damage already done. More DMT options are being approved all the time, and current therapies have had some success for keeping MS at bay for as long as possible, and hopefully, in turn improving quality of life for patients. Fortunately, MS is not the disease it used to be, but there is still a lot of work that needs to be done.

I am one of those 400,00 people in the U.S. living with multiple sclerosis, and I live my life daily trying to raise awareness, educate, and most importantly, support others living with this disease. Recently, my personal and professional lives met in what, I believe, to be a serendipitous moment, and I am fortunate to be part of an exciting new MS patient and caregiver resource site, LiveWiseMS.org.

LiveWiseMS.org emerged out of a partnership between Wolters Kluwer and the International Organization of MS Nurses (IOMSN), supported by an unrestricted educational grant from EMD Serono, Inc., a subsidiary of Merck KGaA. Working with nurses for over 15 years, I couldn’t be more excited to work with the nurses at the IOMSN and to be a part of this new site about a topic near and dear to my heart.

LiveWiseMS.org seeks to educate patients and care partners on an even higher level than typical patient education materials and to further empower them to live the best possible life with multiple sclerosis.  This unique site features condensed patient summaries of articles and information from trusted medical journals and textbooks. Patients can read these summaries, and if so desired to further educate themselves, they can continue on to read the original article. While focused on the MS patient, this site also serves as a great resource for those nurses and health care practitioners who may see patients with MS, but may not necessarily specialize in that particular area.

As I said, I couldn’t be more excited to be a part of LiveWiseMS.org. I share my story in the LiveWiseMS.org Blog section and interact with others through the Community section and social media pages such as Facebook and Twitter. My hope is to continue to support and empower the special population of #MSWarriors out there who seek to take back control over this disease that can make one feel so powerless.

I encourage you to visit LiveWiseMS.org today and to recommend it to your patients, as well as colleagues and friends. Knowledge is power so spread awareness about MS and gain valuable information through LiveWiseMS.org.