ОБЩЕРОССИЙСКАЯ ОБЩЕСТВЕННАЯ ОРГАНИЗАЦИЯ ИНВАЛИДОВ-БОЛЬНЫХ РАССЕЯННЫМ СКЛЕРОЗОМ

World Multiple Sclerosis Day in Russia, 2010

World MS Day in Russia picks up steam 

This follows from many reports coming from regions. This time, our colleagues  marked this occasion on 26 May 2010, while having this as an opportunity to solve their own problems always plenty and important.

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Omsk
 The Omsk event dedicated to the WMSD was held in the Base restaurant. It brought together medical practitioners O.Soldatova and M.Savchenko, and, of course, people with multiple sclerosis, who had just started treatment with Extavia. Representatives of the Novartis pharmaceutical company that made the event possible and of good quality answered questions of PwMS and then handed round auto-injectors. A tea-party crowned it all.
The WMSD works as a big incentive. PwMS in Omsk  approached the local TV with the critical and urgent issue of creating the MS centre in the city. In his answer, Omsk region governor Leonid Polezhaev said in a live TV statement that the MS centre will be established in Omsk.
Omsk.


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Volgograd
On 27 May, the Yuzhnaya Hotel hosted a meeting of the Volgograd MS society dedicated to the World MS Day at its Conference Hall. The participants discussed problems of patient movements in Russia and of PwMS living in Volgograd, as well as difficulties of employment and medicines provision.
There were 63 participants including representatives of pharmaceutical companies and nurses.
The Novartis representative handed auto-injectors to those who got treatment with Extavia. On account of the WMSD, official letters of thanks were awarded to Health Committee executives, the city chief neurologist, and some neurologists deserving honors.
The meeting ended with a tea-party.

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Voronezh
 Every April and May, the Voronezh society of PwMS and people with musculoskeletal impairments implements several actions of kindness for persons with MS and dedicates those to the anniversary of the organization (1 April 1992) and the World MS Day.
The children regional public organization Iskra (Spark) helped bed-ridden people with housecleaning in the course of the action dedicated to the 65th anniversary of the Victory in the Great Patriotic War (WWII).
On 26 May, over 30 PwMS with their children went for a boat ride along the Voronezh dam-lake, which was our input in the WMSD. Each participant had a white ribbon pinned on to symbolize hope.
Two disabled people of our organization visited Turin, Italy with other pilgrims including people on wheelchairs during the days so they could venerate the relic holy to all Christians – the Shroud of Turin. His Beatitude Patriarch Kyrill had blessed that travel.

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Elista
 In Elista, the capital of the Republic of Kalmykia, the action accompanying the World MS Day went through 25-28 May, 2010.
On 25 May, MS information posters were distributed in all medical facilities of the city to inform people about MS and the WMSD. Bulletins of the kind could also be found in shuttle vans, and on 26 May, they were distributed among the city residents and its guests. The event had a good coverage in the republican media and the local TV. On 26-27 May, bags with foods were distributed among PwMS. On 28, people had a tea-party, which proved very important for PwMS in terms of their socialization.
Among the participants were the youth organization Molodaya Gvardia (Young Guards), the Shakyamuni Khurul Gold Shrine of Buddha and the wholesale and retail centre KIT.


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Krasnoyarsk
 The administration of one of the youngest All-Russian MS Society branches in Krasnoyarsk are happy to report about the WMSD event they held, which was a big success. The branch managed to involve wheelchair-ridden persons with severe impairments. Pharmaceutical companies helped to have a worthful event.
Bulletins about MS were distributed in the streets of Krasnoyarsk. Neurologist Mikhail Rodikov, an assistant professor of the Krasnoyarsk State Medical Academy, helped the audience to know about the disease, medicines to treat it and answered a plenty of questions. Plenipotentiary Public Expert L.Vlasova gave a presentation on the All-Russian MS Society activities. Though PwMS attending the event did not understand some aspects and objectives in the work of the Society completely, most of them were sure that the organization unity would essentially define their future. Next happenings would be surprising only: people enjoyed an unexpected tea-party, participants and steering group received official thanks, and the Nikomed, Novartis Pharma and Teva companies were presented with souvenirs and letters of thanks.

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Perm
 In Perm, they held a school for PwMS on 27 May, where medical and social issues of disability were discussed. The event participants had neurologist N.Kuznetsova, the expert of the Main Medical and Social Bureau, as a guest speaker. She took lots of burning questions, which was followed by a drink reception and a tea-party. Perhaps, this event as many others during the WMSD went under the MS isn’t a verdict but is a lifestyle motto. The society officers were glad to see people as a group, which had happened after the previous school, up to keep in touch and phone one another. It was most exciting to have young people together who had felt uneasy before. The audience would not go quite a long time and now are longing for the next school.
The event was sponsored by Avonex

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Ryazan
 There was held a school for people with MS at which Liana Lorina, the assistant of the Neurological Diseases and Neurosurgery Chair, gave talks. Among the participants were neurologist of the MS surgery Svetlana Chelnokova, leader of a patient group Varvara Kustova, and representatives of Merck Serono and Biokad.
The audience raised a number of issues, learnt about Ronbetal and Extavia as new medicines, while Biokad representative Dmitri Bachurin answered patients’ questions. After that, patients enjoyed a drink reception.

 


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Samara
 The Samara region Centre of Veterans was the venue for the Action dedicated to the World Multiple Sclerosis Day. The participants of the Action were disabled people with MS. The event was arranged with the support of the Samara Municipal District Department for social support and protection of population at the Ministry of Health and Social Development of the Samara region.
This action was a second one in the Samara region. It was initiated by the Samara MS society. The action aim was to raise awareness for people with multiple sclerosis, to demonstrate their inner powers and to increase respect for people with disabilities. The event managers had descriptive material prepared including photo albums and ad hoc bulletins. The Samara MS society emailed Samara media sources and appealed to general public to support persons with MS and the agencies that deal with the issue.
Volunteering students of the Institute of Culture performed an entertainment programme.

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Taganrog
 28 May, Taganrog also hosted a school for people with MS. Much focus was on the World MS Day and the All-Russian MS Day. The participants were interested to know what would happen in other places, voluntary organizations, and at the All-Russian MS Society in particular on that day. Then, the school attendees learnt their rights for medical and social services and how these should be defended.
A psychologist of the Centre of services for the handicapped and retired took over and gave a talk, which happened much needed for most PwMS. The attendees were all for more such meetings in the future.

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Orel
 During those days, a series of TV spots were transmitted on the local television. They raised MS awareness, told about associated problems and PwMS pushed out from the social life. MS patients can’t prepare and conduct a large-scale action, but neither may they keep silent. The Omsk MS society conducted the White Ribbon action along with distributing information bulletins among passers-by – this is a kind of statement meaning that people with MS are within the general public, and this cannot be neglected.

 


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The initiative to observe the World MS Day in Russia gained much success and support. We can even watch quality development in the events MS societies conduct and more achievements. The WMSD is a brilliant chance to raise MS awareness worldwide on a single day. The scope and no boundaries of the WMSD draw attention of practically everyone, which is promising to bear its multifold fruit again and again.

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