Newsletter Quarter 2, 2023

 
 

AGM update

 
 
 

Thanks so much to everyone who made it to the Annual General Meeting (AGM) on 20 May 2023. It was great to see you all there.

 It was our pleasure to outline WMS's progress over the past year for you all.

The day's business included:

  • President’s report

  • Treasurer's report

  • Glen Sullivan was bestowed the Andy Woodside Award for the mahi he did raising funds for WMS with his superhero cos-play colleagues

  • Another fascinating update from our Patron and renowned international MS researcher Professor Anne La Flamme.

The draft AGM minutes will be published on this page https://mswellington.org.nz/about-us/new-news-page-2/2023-agm-2/ when they are available.

Thanks for your continued support. WMS's Committee and staff look forward to continuing to serve Wellington's MS Community this year and into the future.

 
Glen Sullivan is bestowed the Andy Woodside Award by WMS President Heather Davey Professor Anne La Flamme and her doctoral students shared insights about their groundbreaking research to find a cure Some of the wonderful people who came along to hear about WMS's progress during 2022.

Volunteer as a Committee Member

If you have skills in business management, finance, fundraising, communications or business planning then we would appreciate your help.

The committee meets once a month for up to two hours, usually online. Find out more at https://mswellington.org.nz/about-us/new-news-page/wms-is-looking-for-committee-members/

Please think about this worthwhile role. We need your help! 

If you are interested, please contact our President, Heather on president@mswellington.org.nz. 
 

Thanks to our funders

  

The Nikau Foundation logo in blue and white

  
The Kapiti coast District Countil logo in blue and yellow

The Kapiti coast District Council logo in blue and yellow

Every year, we rely on funding from generous Trusts and funding organisations to provide the services we do around the greater Wellington region.

Thanks to the generous funders who have recently made grants to WMS.

  • Nikau Foundation has granted $4500 from the Henry and Eileen Wise Medical Trust for supporting PwMS in Porirua and Wellington.

  • Kapiti Coast District Council Community Grant of $1000.

We have also benefitted from a couple of generous private bequests and donations.

Thank you to these generous funders. You're generosity is making a difference to people with MS in the greater Wellington region.

Find out more about our funders at https://mswellington.org.nz/support-us/
Wellington MS Street Collection 11-17 September 2023: Raising funds to support out work empowering people with MS and their whanau to live their best lives.

Our 2023 Collection - 11-17 September 2023

Thanks to everyone who has volunteered to help support our collection in September. Your support is greatly appreciated, although we still need more help!

We already have over 10 collection locations confirmed too all around greater Wellington. If you have offered to help or let us collect at your premises then we will be emailing out regular updates from now on so you can stay up to date about where things are.

To those of you who are yet to sign up: we will be very grateful if you can lend your support, a couple of hours can make a huge difference! Perhaps you can help as a collector, making phone calls or helping things to run smoothly in another way.

If you're not able to help collect we quite understand, although we'd appreciate you spreading the word among your friends, family or whanau and supporters. 

We will be looking to utilise more technology this year in the form of QR codes on collection buckets, as fewer people seem to carry cash these days. Thankfully many of us are already familiar with how to use QRs.

We are also reaching out to selected service organisations which we hope will help us to find collectors. If you know a club or workplace who might be able to help collect please ask them to get in touch.

We will continue to update details on this webpage https://mswellington.org.nz/about-us/new-news-page/can-you-help-ms-awareness-week-2023/, which has a list of collection sites, information about privacy and an online form for people interested in collecting to complete. Important updates will be added to that page, so bookmark it for future reference

Feel free to email suzanne@mswellington.org.nz or phone her on 0224799188 if you need to.

Yes, I can help with MS Awareness Week 11-17 September 2023

Decorative Image: A sign saying "Help Wanted" is stuck to a door

 

 

 

 

Image description: decorative image of a help wanted sign.

 

 

 

 

 Important Pharmac Consultation: Have your Say!

Pharmac has commenced consultation to fund Ocrelizumab for Primary Progressive MS. Currently, those with PPMS have no access to any disease modifying therapies. Ocrelizumab has been proven in trials to delay time to wheelchair by 7 years allowing people to continue working, supporting their families and whānau, and living well.

Read MSNZ"s full news story here Major announcement: Pharmac Initiates Consultation to fund Ocrelizumab for Primary Progressive MS. | Multiple Sclerosis Society of NZMultiple Sclerosis Society of NZ (msnz.org.nz) 

You can submit your story and a message to Pharmac through Multiple Sclerosis NZ to be shared in their submission by 6th July 2023.

Alternatively send your submission directly to Pharmac by 5pm on 7th July 2023 to: consult@pharmac.govt.nz

Have you signed the Carer's Petition?
 
We Care Facebook Banner with QR code

We Care Facebook Banner with QR code

 Many of us rely on our Carer's for so much and believe they deserve more recognition for the amazing mahi they do.

We also understand the critical need for more protections for carers physical, mental and financial health and well-being.

If you agree then please make sure you've signed the petition at https://petitions.parliament.nz/. Please ask your friends, family and whanau to support it too.
 If you would prefer to download this newsletter as a PDF click here. (Downloads from a secure Google drive).