Multiple Sclerosis
Multiple sclerosis is an unpredictable, often disabling disease of the central nervous system. There is currently no cure for MS. Symptoms vary from person to person and range from numbness and tingling, to mobility challenges, blindness and paralysis. An estimated 1 million people live with MS in the United States. Most people are diagnosed between the ages of 20 and 50, and it affects women three times more than men.
The National MS Society
The National MS Society brings the MS movement together—and turns our power and passion into real results. When the Society was founded 75 years ago, MS was neglected and poorly understood. But together, as a movement, we’ve reshaped life with MS. We’ve:
- Paved the way for the more than 20 treatment options available today—none of which existed just 30 years ago.
- Brought the world together to set standards for diagnosing MS quickly and accurately, and to crystallize the distinction between relapsing-remitting and progressive MS.
- Uncovered the role of immune cells in disease progression and treatment, as well as the possibilities of restoring function through myelin repair and nervous system rewiring.
- Funded over 1,000 early-career researchers who have since been behind nearly every major breakthrough and treatment.
- Driven billions of dollars in federal research funding, won state-level reforms for quality respite services and home modification tax credits, and ensured that the voice of those with MS is always heard—in courtrooms and boardrooms where we fight for access and affordability, in media where we tell our stories, and in the halls of power where we make our needs known.
- Built a network of resources and events that help people affected by MS live less isolated, more informed, happier lives—whether that means one newly diagnosed person finding the education program they need online, 50,000 people benefitting from the in-depth, personalized support of MS Navigators, or 300,000 people stepping forward to Walk MS each and every year.
Learn more about the National MS Society.