The Malaysian MS society hopes to raise awareness of multiple sclerosis through a five-week awareness campaign.
IMAGINE trying to type a document on a computer without a mouse or keyboard. This sense of helplessness is what a person endures when they suffer from Multiple Sclerosis (MS),” explained Padma Panikker, president of the MS Society of Malaysia.
MS is a disease that affects the central nervous system, causing the body’s immune system to destroy a substance called myelin. Myelin serves as a nerve insulator and helps the transmission of nerve signals. The breakdown of myelin reveals itself in early symptoms such as fatigue, dimness of vision, leg weakness, numbness or tingling in face, arms, leg or torso, and band-like numbness around the chest and abdomen, to name a few.
“Unfortunately, awareness of this condition is at its minimal in Malaysia because we assume that as Asians, we are not susceptible to the disease. We hope to change this perception and bring much needed attention to the disease. This is the primary reason we are organising “A Wake of Hope” for the very first time in conjunction with World MS Day in May,” said Padma.
“A Wake of Hope” is a five-week long awareness campaign organised by The MS Society of Malaysia and supported by pharmaceutical company, Merck Serono. It is aimed at dispelling the age-old misconception that MS is only found in Western countries, as well as re-educate patients and the public in general that there is life after diagnosis.
One of the main highlights of the overall campaign will be the “I Walk for MS” event. The walk will be the culmination of the campaign and will be held at the Taman Lembah Kiara, Taman Persekutuan Bukit Kiara.
It is a call to action by the MS Society Malaysia to all Malaysians to be present and show their support for those with the disease. In addition to that, the society is also conducting educational road shows in prominent high traffic areas around the Klang Valley.
Also present at the launch was Dr Joyce Pauline Joseph and Dr Shanti Viswanathan, consultant neurologists at Hospital Kuala Lumpur, and who also serve as advisors to the society.
“MS affects each individual differently, therefore it’s imperative to not only have regular consultations with their doctor, but patients and their family members should constantly keep themselves updated on the disease,” explained Dr Shanti.
She went on to add that MS affects twice as many women as men and is usually diagnosed between ages 20 and 40, though can manifest itself at any age.
There have been cases of individuals who are diagnosed with MS in the prime of their lives and end up being house-bound as they are forced to quit their jobs or studies. This can take a toll on the emotional lives of patients as well as their families.
“I always encourage my patients to live as normal a life as possible. While it is a life-changing disease, with proper treatment and support, a patient can have a very successful outlook on life,” added Dr Joyce
Adding to Dr Joyce’s advice, Padma went on that the society aims to encourage support through “A Wake of Hope”. “We want to enhance the public’s awareness about the issue and the emotional and physical issues surrounding MS. We need your support and the best way to do this is participate in the ‘I walk for MS’ event,” said Padma.
The press conference also saw the introduction of the campaign’s official ambassador, R. Puvaneswaran, who is a member of the Malaysian Karate Team and represents the country on a national front.
Puvaneswaran has been an avid karate exponent since 1989 and takes his physical activities very seriously by working out every single day and leading an active lifestyle.
Puvaneswaran shared that there have been many extremely active members of the society that have woken up one day to discover that they have MS. He looks to them as an inspiration to live a full life as it takes courage and strength to accept the disease and to learn to adjust your life accordingly.
Humbled by the MS Society’s decision to appoint him as an ambassador, Puvaneswaran intends to help increase awareness about MS. “MS needs more attention in Malaysia and I am proud that I am associated with a society that has risen to the challenge,” he added.
The society will kick of their first road show at Jaya33 today, and will travel to Tropicana City Mall, Sunway Pyramid and 1Utama Shopping Mall over the next few weekends leading up to the finale event.
“I walk for MS” will be held on May 22, 2011, at the Taman Lembah Kiara, Taman Persekutuan Bukit Kiara at 8.00am and registration is open to everyone. The event will also feature a public health forum and a fitness demonstration. Members of the public are encouraged to log on the www.mswalk.com.my to register for the walk.
“It doesn’t matter if you’re fit, athletic or if you haven’t exercised in 10 years. If you have a heart that cares, that’s all we need,” said Padma.
