Multiple Sclerosis and the MS Superstars Running Club

Multiple sclerosis (MS) is a condition that can affect the brain and spinal cord, causing a wide range of potential symptoms, including problems with vision, arm or leg movement, sensation or balance.

MS Society (Multiple Sclerosis Society) know that talking about MS can be hard, so they asked over 800 people living with MS what they believed were the barriers to speaking out.

Today, to mark the start of MS Awareness Week, they released their findings which revealed a third of people with MS (35%) have kept their condition a secret.

Of the people who hid it:

• one in ten (9%) kept it a secret from their partner
• a third (33%) kept it a secret from at least one family member
• more than a third (34%) kept it a secret from their employer
• over half (59%) haven’t told their colleagues.

Why MS can be tough to talk about

When we asked why people had chosen to keep their MS a secret

• over half (52%) said they were concerned others would feel sorry for them
• over a third (37%) feared discrimination
• four in ten (40%) were worried it would impact their career
• three quarters (74%) said talking about MS made them nervous, or worried they weren’t explaining it properly.

Want to be part of our exclusive community of runners whilst doing something amazing?

As an MS Superstars Running Club member, you’ll receive lots of fundraising and training support, access to an exclusive Facebook group, and an MS Society running vest to wear with pride.

MS Society would absolutely love to have you on the team, so get your own place in a running event and join.

Together, we are strong enough to stop MS.

Link: www.mssociety.org.uk/runningclub