ABU DHABI (ALETIHAD)
The National Multiple Sclerosis Society (NMSS) is bringing World MS Day to communities across the UAE for the fourth consecutive year, through a nationwide awareness campaign designed to spark conversation, strengthen understanding, and encourage more visible support for people living with multiple sclerosis (MS).
Spanning healthcare facilities, workplaces, and community spaces, the campaign brings together educational resources, public activations and community-driven experiences designed to encourage more open conversations around MS and the realities of living with it.
Aligned with this year’s World MS Day theme, ‘My MS Diagnosis: Navigating MS Together’, the campaign focuses on the experiences surrounding an MS diagnosis and the importance of accessible information, practical guidance and strong support systems following diagnosis.
Through community activations, educational initiatives and public awareness efforts, the campaign aims to encourage more informed conversations around MS and strengthen understanding of the realities of living with the condition.
Her Excellency Dr Fatima Al Kaabi, Vice Chair of the National Multiple Sclerosis Society (NMSS), said: “World MS Day reminds us that living with MS is not a journey that should be experienced alone, but one shaped by the strength of communities, families, caregivers and the systems of support surrounding them.
"As we mark our fourth-year commemorating World MS Day in the UAE alongside the global community, we are proud to continue building national awareness and strengthening collective understanding around the realities of living with MS.
“At NMSS, we believe that meaningful progress is driven through collective action and shared responsibility. Through this nationwide campaign, we are bringing together healthcare institutions, community partners and the wider public to strengthen awareness, expand access to practical resources and foster a more inclusive and supportive future for people living with MS across the UAE.”
As part of the campaign, NMSS has launched a series of practical resources designed to support different stages of the MS journey and strengthen everyday support systems surrounding people living with the condition.
This includes a Talking About Your MS Diagnosis Guide, developed as a self-advocacy and empowerment resource to help individuals navigate conversations around diagnosis with family members, friends and colleagues.
The guide features practical advice and guided exercises aimed at supporting more open and confident communication following diagnosis.
Recognising the important role caregivers play throughout the MS journey, a dedicated guide for Empowering Carers has also been created to provide practical information and guidance for those supporting people living with MS and other chronic conditions.
An HR Guide has also been developed to help human resources teams and employers better understand MS and support employees living with the condition through more inclusive and accommodating workplace environments.
Endorsed by The Butterfly, a leading organisation specialising in inclusion and accessibility solutions, the guide includes practical information around accessibility and workplace adjustments that can help employees living with MS and other People of Determination thrive professionally.
While created with the experiences of people living with MS in mind, these resources are also intended to support individuals navigating conversations around other chronic conditions.
The resources form part of a wider awareness effort being rolled out across more than 30 healthcare facilities in the UAE, aimed at improving visibility and accessibility of MS support resources within clinical settings, and strengthening understanding of the condition among wider communities.
Extending the campaign’s educational efforts, NMSS will also host an online webinar on June 5, 2026 to explore practical wellbeing strategies and ongoing UAE-based research aimed at supporting people living with MS and their families.
Open to the public, the session will bring together experts from nutrition, mental health and research to discuss the realities of living with MS and the importance of strong, holistic support systems.
Beyond healthcare and educational settings, the initiative is also extending into community spaces through a café activation under the theme Carry It Forward, taking place across over 30 participating locations across the UAE on 30 and 31 May 2026.
The activation aims to raise awareness around multiple sclerosis and encourage more open conversations and stronger community support for people living with the condition across the UAE.
The campaign will further expand into public spaces through landmark illuminations across the UAE aimed at encouraging greater visibility and awareness around MS.
Through this campaign, NMSS hopes to encourage more open conversations around MS and strengthen understanding of the realities of living with the condition.