A message from Cyndi Zagieboylo: Accelerating progress

This issue of Momentum explores our Pathways to Cures initiative and highlights a specific research project in each of the pathways: stopping MS in its tracks, restoring what has been lost and ending MS forever. I hope that you find this information inspiring. The National Multiple Sclerosis Society paved the way for every effective MS treatment available today, and we will not stop until we find a cure for everyone with MS and end MS forever.

The Pathways to Cures Roadmap is the result of four years of work to develop a framework to accelerate progress in finding MS cures. We understand a lot about the complexities of MS and have called out the obstacles that need to be removed to get to cures. We will iterate the roadmap as we learn more.

To accelerate progress, we must engage everyone — advocacy organizations, the scientific and clinical communities, people affected by MS — to collaborate and contribute to the solutions we need to get closer to cures.

This detailed plan includes the endorsements of MS organizations and experts from around the world. International consensus on the plan is crucial. It’s not by accident that we have achieved more advances in MS than have been achieved for any other neurological disease. We lead the way for discovery because our focus on building the MS movement and bringing all forces to bear on our vision — a world free of MS — maximizes the pace of progress.

Now that the roadmap has been published, we will make sure it gets the attention it deserves so that all organizations, governments and companies who make investments in research can contribute to the body of MS knowledge. In this way, we can build that body of knowledge faster and get to cures sooner.

It’s a work in progress. We will continue to convene the brightest minds, shine a light on what’s most important to people with MS and encourage funding from throughout the world.

We’ve made more progress in the last five years than in the 70 that preceded them, changing all aspects of life for people affected by MS. This Pathways to Cures initiative builds on that progress and ensures global focus on curing MS.

As always, I’m interested in your thoughts and how you are doing. Let’s keep in touch!

Cyndi Zagieboylo
President & CEO
National MS Society

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