Quarter 3 2023, WMS Newsletter :: Wellington Multiple Sclerosis Society Inc

WMS E-newsletter, Quarter 3 2023

Coming Soon: MS Awareness Week, 11 - 17 September 2023

Next week is MS Awareness Week, which is one of the biggest weeks of the year for Wellington MS.

You can find out more about our campaign around the greater Wellington region, to raise awareness about MS and funds towards our Community Advisor service.The campaign will give you an opportunity to find out more about Wellington's Face of MS, Nick Brandon, too.

Please support these efforts in whatever ways you can, by discussing MS with friends or your regular coffee group, by helping with the collection or by making a donation if you are in the fortunate position to do so without going short of things you need.

Make a Donation Online

Nick Brandon is Wellington's Face of MS

Thanks to our Face of MS Nick Brandon

A big thank you to Nick Brandon, for again being our region's very charming and photogenic 'Face of MS'.

Nick shares great insights about what changes MS has brought about for him and how Wellington MS has been able to support him. He's got a really great understanding of the work MS does and the value it provides to PwMS and the wider community too, not to mention some great quotes!

You can read more about Nick and the Face of MS Campaign at fundraise.msnz.org.nz/faceofms/ms-wellington.

Wellington region's MS Awareness Week campaign

Our Committee and Ops Team have been busy getting our campaign ready.

Wellington Streets and Supermarkets

As well as collecting in Wellington CBD streets on Wednesday 13 September we also have collections planned at over a dozen supermarkets on Thursday 14 and Friday 15 September. Please stop and show your support if you see them!

The supermarket locations are:

Wellington New World
Thorndon New World
New World Waikanae
PaknSave Petone
New World Hutt City
Porirua New World
Countdown Queen St Upper Hutt
Countdown Russell St Upper Hutt
New World Silverstream
Carterton New World
Fresh Choice Greytown
New World Masterton
Pain & Kershaw Martinborough

Thanks so much to the stores for hosting our collectors, and to the collectors themselves along with the volunteers who have stepped up to organise it all. A special thanks to Jenny Simpson for her amazing efforts organising both Wellington New Worlds.

You are all amazing and we couldn't do what we do with out you. Thank you everyone!

Victoria University Bake Sale

On Friday 15 September between 10am - 1pm, Professor Anne La Flamme's team at Vic will again be holding a Bake Sale towards our MS Awareness Week campaign. Thanks so much to this amazing team, who many of you see each year at our AGM - they are doing amazing work to help find a cure for MS and they are helping us raise much needed funds. Thank you all so much!

The Collective Community Hub Johnsonville

A special thank you to these wonderful people who have generously offered to host a donation station throughout the week and provide some graphic design to create campaign posters, including to help us recruit collectors. Your support is much appreciated.

Community Libraries

A big thank you to community libraries in Wellington, Kapiti and Hutt City who will be displaying our Face of MS posters throughout the campaign, that's 23 locations in all. These posters have a QR code on them, which can people straight to the Face of MS donation page just by pointing their smartphone camera at it.

We will be sending out an email each day during the week to keep you up to date with what is happening.

Thank you for supporting the campaign, which will enable us to continue our vital work supporting people with MS in the greater Wellington region.

New WMS Committee Members

A big welcome to our new committee members Alexis Mundy and Su Mon Win who have decided to use their skills for good on the Wellington MS Committee. You can read more about Alexis and Su Mon on our website at mswellington.org.nz/about-us/our-committee/.

Thank you both for donating your time and skills for enabling PwMS in the greater Wellington region to live their best lives!

Alexis Mundy smiles at the camera

Su Mon Win in profile

Ocrelizumab to be funded for PwPPMS

Great news: On Monday 4 September Pharmac announced that it will be funding Ocrelizumab for people with Primary Progressive MS (PPMS).

Ocrelizumab is currently funded and available for the treatment of relapsing remitting multiple sclerosis (RRMS). From 1 October 2023, access will be widened to include primary progressive multiple sclerosis (PPMS). This will be the first funded treatment for people with PPMS.

We are expecting guidance on how t will work should be available very shortly and your Community Advisor will be able to tell you more then.

A BIG thank you to our Funders

A special thank to these funding organisations who have allocated funds towards our important mahi over the coming year:

COGS Whitireia, Wellington City, Wairarapa and Hutt Valley; and
The Jack Jeff’s Trust.

We appreciate your support for the vital work we do.