A message from President and CEO Cyndi Zagieboylo about the coronavirus

Now more than ever, it’s vital that we stay connected.

by Cyndi Zagieboylo

The coronavirus pandemic has turned our world upside down. Not only are we separated from loved ones, but we’re also disconnected from the resources and services we rely on. For people with MS, that means having to find new ways to get what you need.

You might have immediate needs during this time of crisis — trying to take care of yourself and your loved ones, looking for new ways to stay connected to each other. And there may be longer-term needs that you are worrying about once the crisis has passed.

The National MS Society is here with you. Our commitment to you is unwavering. You are not alone.

Of course, we, too, are making adjustments. In these days of social distancing, we’re providing many more opportunities for people with MS to connect online. Please take advantage of them. There are a variety of resources for you to tap into on our website at nationalmssociety.org to get the most up-to-date and reliable information about the coronavirus.

If you are like me, the news and the talk can feel overwhelming and cause anxiety. You can manage that by deciding what you want to hear and when you want to hear or read it. Our website is updated frequently with the latest, accurate, expert-vetted MS and COVID-19 related news.

There are new places to connect with others. You can join us every Friday for a webinar answering your questions, streamed live. Register by going to nationalmssociety.org/msexpert.

I enjoy a weekly dose of Jon Strum on his podcast, RealTalkMS. Jon is grounding for me, his voice is soothing, and he always has important and informative guests.

All of our MS Navigators are working from their homes — fortunately, we had already planned for this redundancy, not knowing that a pandemic, not just a snowstorm, would be the true test of our disaster disruption plans. You can email or live chat with an MS Navigator, or a phone call still works! The number is 1-800-344-4867.

We are all learning together. We are all trying new ways of doing things, embracing imperfection and new technology. Join us and give it a try. This is the best way we have to stay connected. Maybe someone can help you learn how to find the information or maybe you can teach someone else from a distance.

It’s critically important that we stay connected.

Thanks for listening. Let’s keep in touch.

Cyndi Zagieboylo
President & CEO
National MS Society

Web Exclusive

Let me know your thoughts. Email me at cyndi@nmss.org.