Today's Edition
SARA ALZAABI (ABU DHABI)
As athletes dive into pools, take to cycling tracks, and push through race courses at the Open Masters Games Abu Dhabi, some are competing with more than just the clock. Among them are individuals living with multiple sclerosis (MS), proving that a diagnosis does not define determination — or potential.
MS is a condition affecting the central nervous system that may cause symptoms such as fatigue, muscle weakness, and vision challenges. While there is no cure, treatment and lifestyle strategies enable many people to manage the condition and lead active lives.
For participating athletes with MS, the Games represent more than competition but a platform to reshape perceptions.
“MS is often misunderstood as a condition that defines what people cannot do. Through the resilience and strength of the Masters of Strength team at the Open Masters Games, we are helping shift that narrative. MS is one part of a person’s life, not the defining feature,” Maral Alexandrian, Acting Executive Director of the National Multiple Sclerosis Society (NMSS), told Aletihad in an interview.
As the Open Masters Games Abu Dhabi champions inclusivity, NMSS harnesses the momentum to challenge misconceptions, raise awareness, and highlight the strength and capability of people living with MS, on and off the field.
"Through this presence, we are not only raising awareness, but we are also demonstrating possibilities. The Open Masters Games’ emphasis on inclusivity across all ages and abilities aligns closely with our values,” Alexandrian said.
The Masters of Strength athletes carry a shared message of empowerment, she added. They expressed that while MS is part of their journey, it does not define their potential or limit their ambition.
“Their goal is simple yet powerful: to inspire others living with MS to move, stay active, and reclaim confidence in their bodies and abilities,” Alexandrian said.
Move for MS
NMSS’ participation in the Games serves as the flagship activation of its Move for MS initiative for 2026. Now in its third year, the initiative encourages people across the community to engage in any form of movement to raise awareness and funds for MS programmes and care. To date, the initiative has engaged more than 4,000 participants and raised over Dh800,000 in support of people living with MS.
"By aligning Move for MS with Open Masters Games Abu Dhabi, we ensure it extends beyond a single awareness moment; it becomes part of a broader cultural conversation around strength, participation, and quality of life at every age,” Alexandrian said.
Even after the Games conclude, the message behind Move for MS continues, she added. "Move for MS aims to encourage people to engage in movement in ways that are accessible and meaningful to them. It shifts the focus away from comparison or performance towards simple, sustainable forms of movement that support both physical and emotional wellbeing.”
In the long term, NMSS hopes to help shift perspectives; “where movement is viewed not as competition, but as connection, confidence, and community”, Alexandrian said.
Visibility, she stressed, is central to changing perceptions, particularly with a condition where many symptoms remain unseen.
"Presence in prominent public settings is a powerful form of advocacy. People living with MS are part of society, yet their experiences are not always recognised, particularly when symptoms are invisible."
The society views public participation as a practical tool for challenging long-held assumptions. “When people encounter MS in everyday, shared environments, it becomes easier to move beyond assumptions and engage with lived experience rather than stereotypes,” Alexandrian added.
Beyond the Games, NMSS is focused on sustaining engagement through structured programmes and ongoing community support.
"Move for MS is not just a one-time activation tied to the Games; it is a call to embed movement, awareness, and solidarity into everyday life, encouraging families and the wider community to remain actively engaged well beyond the event itself,” Alexandrian said.
Families are encouraged to stay involved through NMSS’ programmes, educational resources, and community events, supported by practical tools that address nutrition, mental health, and overall wellbeing. One such initiative is the ‘Azm: MS Trainer Development Programme’, which empowers people living with MS to exercise confidently in a safe and supportive environment.
Alexandrian noted that meaningful change requires continued community involvement and collective advocacy.
"Through sustained storytelling, shared narratives of resilience, and consistent community engagement, Move for MS evolves into more than an initiative — it becomes a movement. Families are not passive observers, but active partners in advocacy and awareness. This directly advances NMSS’s broader vision of building a sustainable, inclusive ecosystem that fosters healthier, more informed, and more connected communities for the long term,” she said.
