Welcome to Part 2 of a special two-part RealTalk MS series highlighting conversations with past recipients of the Barancik Prize for Innovation in MS Research. 

The Barancik Prize is awarded at the annual meeting of the Americas Committee for Treatment and Research in Multiple Sclerosis, a meeting better known as the ACTRIMS Forum. Several past Barancik Prize winners gathered at the 2023 ACTRIMS Forum to celebrate the 10th anniversary of the Barancik Prize, and I took that opportunity to chat with this remarkable group of MS research all-stars. 

Part 2 of Barancik Prize Conversations features the 2018, 2020, and 2022 Barancik Prize winners.

Dr. Katerina Akassolgou, of the Gladstone Institute of Neurological Disease, was awarded the Barancik Prize in 2018 for her work understanding the role of fibrin-related nerve damage in MS and designing potential therapies to prevent neurodegeneration.

Dr. Dwight Bergles, of Johns Hopkins University, received the Barancik Prize in 2020 in recognition of his pioneering research in understanding the brain cells involved in myelin repair.

Dr. Ruth Ann Marrie, of the University of Manitoba, is the 2022 recipient of the Barancik Prize in recognition of her groundbreaking contributions to our understanding of MS.

We have a lot to talk about! Are you ready for RealTalk MS??!

About the Barancik Prize Conversations  :18

Dr. Katerina Akassoglou  2:03

Dr. Dwight Bergles  10:00

Dr. Ruth Ann Marrie  20:58

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Just copy this link & paste it into your text or email: https://realtalkms.com/barancik2

ADD YOUR VOICE TO THE CONVERSATION

I've always thought about the RealTalk MS podcast as a conversation. And this is your opportunity to join the conversation by sharing your feedback, questions, and suggestions for topics that we can discuss in future podcast episodes. Please shoot me an email or call the RealTalk MS Listener Hotline and share your thoughts!

Email: jon@realtalkms.com Phone: (310) 526-2283

And don't forget to join us in the RealTalk MS Facebook group!

LINKS

If your podcast app doesn't allow you to click on these links, you'll find them in the show notes in the RealTalk MS app or at www.RealTalkMS.com

Join the RealTalk MS Facebook Group https://facebook.com/groups/realtalkms

Download the RealTalk MS App for iOS Devices https://itunes.apple.com/us/app/realtalk-ms/id1436917200

Download the RealTalk MS App for Android Deviceshttps://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=tv.wizzard.android.realtalk

Give RealTalk MS a rating and review http://www.realtalkms.com/review

Follow RealTalk MS on Twitter, @RealTalkMS_jon, and subscribe to our newsletter at our website, RealTalkMS.com.

RealTalk MS Bonus Episode: Barancik Prize Conversations -- Part 2 Guests: Dr. Katerina Akassoglou, Dr. Dwight Bergles, and Dr. Ruth Ann Marrie

Tags: MS, MultipleSclerosis, MSResearch, MSSociety, RealTalkMS

We're also extending an invitation for you to spend a quick couple of minutes taking the RealTalk MS listener survey...and we're adding some motivation to that invitation by giving you an opportunity to win a $100 Amazon gift card.

And we're inviting you to get up close and personal with some of the most brilliant MS researchers in the world in Part 1 of our two-part special podcast series, Barancik Prize Conversations. 

While we're talking about brilliant MS researchers, we're also revealing this year's recipient of the John Dystel Prize for MS Research.

We'll share some of the details surrounding the partial hold that the FDA has imposed on three different Phase 3 clinical trials for a new category of MS disease-modifying therapy.

We'll tell you about a small clinical trial that demonstrated the benefit of telerehabilitation in improving MS-related bladder problems.

And we'll tell you about an upcoming clinical trial for the first MS disease-modifying therapy to be formulated as a nasal spray.

We have a lot to talk about! Are you ready for RealTalk MS??!

Take the RealTalk MS listener survey...you might win a $100 Amazon gift card!  :22

This Week: Disclosing your MS in the workplace  1:15

Don't miss Part 1 of our special series, Barancik Conversations   2:07

And the winner of the John Dystel Prize for MS Research is...  4:05

The FDA has put a temporary hold on three Phase 3 clinical trials for a new category of MS disease-modifying therapy  5:42

STUDY: Telerehabilitation shown to be successful in managing MS-related bladder problems   8:39

Tiziana Life Scences announces Phase 2 clinical trial for Foralumab, the first MS disease-modifying therapy to be formulated as a nasal spray   12:05

Christina Forster reviews the things you'll want to consider when you're thinking about disclosing your MS to your employer   14:11

Share this episode  30:01

Please remember to take our listener survey!  30:21

SHARE THIS EPISODE OF REALTALK MS

Just copy this link & paste it into your text or email: https://realtalkms.com/292

ADD YOUR VOICE TO THE CONVERSATION

I've always thought about the RealTalk MS podcast as a conversation. And this is your opportunity to join the conversation by sharing your feedback, questions, and suggestions for topics that we can discuss in future podcast episodes. Please shoot me an email or call the RealTalk MS Listener Hotline and share your thoughts!

Email: jon@realtalkms.com Phone: (310) 526-2283

And don't forget to join us in the RealTalk MS Facebook group!

LINKS

If your podcast app doesn't allow you to click on these links, you'll find them in the show notes in the RealTalk MS app or at www.RealTalkMS.com

Take the RealTalk MS Listener Survey  https://realtalkms.com/survey

RealTalk MS Special Podcast Series: Barancik Prize Conversations Part 1 https://realtalkms.com/barancik1

STUDY: Effects of Pelvic Floor Muscle Training Applied with Telerehabilitation in Patients with Multiple Sclerosis Having Lower Urinary Tract Symptoms: A Randomized Controlled Study https://tandfonline.com/doi/abs/10.1080/07399332.2023.2190593

Take the RealTalk MS Listener Survey  https://realtalkms.com/survey

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Give RealTalk MS a rating and review http://www.realtalkms.com/review

Follow RealTalk MS on Twitter, @RealTalkMS_jon, and subscribe to our newsletter at our website, RealTalkMS.com.

RealTalk MS Episode 294 Guests: Christina Forster

Tags: MS, MultipleSclerosis, MSResearch, MSSociety, RealTalkMS

Welcome to Part 1 of a special two-part RealTalk MS series highlighting conversations with past recipients of the Barancik Prize for Innovation in MS Research. 

The Barancik Prize is awarded at the annual meeting of the Americas Committee for Treatment and Research in Multiple Sclerosis, a meeting better known as the ACTRIMS Forum. Several past Barancik Prize winners gathered at the 2023 ACTRIMS Forum to celebrate the 10th anniversary of the Barancik Prize, and I took that opportunity to chat with this remarkable group of MS research all-stars. 

Part 1 of Barancik Prize Conversations features the 2014 and 2016 Barancik Prize winners.

Dr. Philip De Jager, of Columbia University, was awarded the Barancik Prize in 2014 for applying powerful analytic approaches to better understanding how genes and the environment interact, with the goal of developing personalized treatments for MS and, ultimately, disease prevention.

Dr. Daniel Reich, of the NIH Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke, received the Barancik Prize in 2016 for innovating approaches to imaging MS disease activity, creating new pathways to better treatments.

We have a lot to talk about! Are you ready for RealTalk MS??!

About the Barancik Prize Conversations  :18

Dr. Philip De Jager  2:03

Dr. Daniel Reich   19:49

SHARE THIS EPISODE OF REALTALK MS

Just copy this link & paste it into your text or email: https://realtalkms.com/barancik1

ADD YOUR VOICE TO THE CONVERSATION

I've always thought about the RealTalk MS podcast as a conversation. And this is your opportunity to join the conversation by sharing your feedback, questions, and suggestions for topics that we can discuss in future podcast episodes. Please shoot me an email or call the RealTalk MS Listener Hotline and share your thoughts!

Email: jon@realtalkms.com Phone: (310) 526-2283

And don't forget to join us in the RealTalk MS Facebook group!

LINKS

If your podcast app doesn't allow you to click on these links, you'll find them in the show notes in the RealTalk MS app or at www.RealTalkMS.com

Join the RealTalk MS Facebook Group https://facebook.com/groups/realtalkms

Download the RealTalk MS App for iOS Devices https://itunes.apple.com/us/app/realtalk-ms/id1436917200

Download the RealTalk MS App for Android Deviceshttps://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=tv.wizzard.android.realtalk

Give RealTalk MS a rating and review http://www.realtalkms.com/review

Follow RealTalk MS on Twitter, @RealTalkMS_jon, and subscribe to our newsletter at our website, RealTalkMS.com.

RealTalk MS Bonus Episode: Barancik Prize Conversations -- Part 1 Guests: Dr. Philip De Jager and Dr. Daniel Reich

Tags: MS, MultipleSclerosis, MSResearch, MSSociety, RealTalkMS

You've told me that the subject of diet and MS is one of your top three interests. And a quick scan of social media platforms reveals that a lot of people living with MS agree!

This week, Dr. Ilana Katz Sand, the Associate Director of the Corinne Goldsmith Dickinson Center for Multiple Sclerosis at Mount Sinai, joins me with an update on what the latest research is revealing about the impact of diet on MS, and to answer that eternal question -- Is there an MS diet? 

We're also talking about the launch of OCTOPUS, a groundbreaking clinical trial for progressive MS. 

We'll talk with Dr. Erin Longbrake, the principal investigator in CELLO, a national clinical trial that's focused on potentially neutralizing MS before symptoms even develop.

And if you're living with MS and you're looking for one more reason to stop smoking, we're sharing some recently published sobering evidence.

We have a lot to talk about! Are you ready for RealTalk MS??!

This Week: An update on the impact of Diet on MS  :22

OCTOPUS, a groundbreaking clinical trial for progressive MS launches 1:17

Principal investigator Dr. Erin Longbrake discusses the importance of the CELLO study   4:06

STUDY: People with MS who continue to smoke may be facing multiple negative outcomes over time  10:33

Dr. Ilana Katz Sand updates us on the latest research and evidence of how diet impacts MS   16:03

Share this episode  38:58

Have you downloaded the free RealTalk MS app?  39:19

SHARE THIS EPISODE OF REALTALK MS

Just copy this link & paste it into your text or email: https://realtalkms.com/293

ADD YOUR VOICE TO THE CONVERSATION

I've always thought about the RealTalk MS podcast as a conversation. And this is your opportunity to join the conversation by sharing your feedback, questions, and suggestions for topics that we can discuss in future podcast episodes. Please shoot me an email or call the RealTalk MS Listener Hotline and share your thoughts!

Email: jon@realtalkms.com Phone: (310) 526-2283

And don't forget to join us in the RealTalk MS Facebook group!

LINKS

If your podcast app doesn't allow you to click on these links, you'll find them in the show notes in the RealTalk MS app or at www.RealTalkMS.com

Register Your Interest in Participating in OCTOPUS https://ukmsregister.org/octopus

Details about participating in the CELLO Study https://cellostudy.org

STUDY: Influence of Oral Tobacco Versus Smoking on Multiple Sclerosis Disease Activity and Progression https://jnnp.bmj.com/content/early/2023/03/30/jnnp-2022-330848

Join the RealTalk MS Facebook Group https://facebook.com/groups/realtalkms

Download the RealTalk MS App for iOS Devices https://itunes.apple.com/us/app/realtalk-ms/id1436917200

Download the RealTalk MS App for Android Deviceshttps://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=tv.wizzard.android.realtalk

Give RealTalk MS a rating and review http://www.realtalkms.com/review

Follow RealTalk MS on Twitter, @RealTalkMS_jon, and subscribe to our newsletter at our website, RealTalkMS.com.

RealTalk MS Episode 293 Guests: Dr. Erin Longbrake and Dr. Ilana Katz Sand

Tags: MS, MultipleSclerosis, MSResearch, MSSociety, RealTalkMS

If you've listened to this podcast before, you already know that we avoid hype, and we stick to talking about evidence-based science. So, let me say right up front -- today, the cause of multiple sclerosis is unknown. However, a research team has identified a bacterial toxin that may prove to be the cause of MS onset as well as MS relapses.

Joining me for an exclusive conversation about this discovery is Dr. Timothy Vartanian, who leads the team that made the discovery, and Dr. Richard Rudick, whose career has focused on experimental therapeutics for MS, playing a key role in the development of both Avonex and Tysabri.

We're also talking about a stem cell therapy called MSC-NP that, in a Phase 1 clinical trial, delivered positive outcomes among people living with progressive MS.

We'll tell you about a study that demonstrated why EDSS alone does not accurately define an individual's MS journey.

We're sharing news from the International Progressive MS Alliance about a new research pipeline that will focus on improving well-being for people living with progressive MS.

And we'll tell you where you can catch a replay of the International Progressive MS Alliance's latest webcast, Developing Treatments to End MS Progression.

We have a lot to talk about! Are you ready for RealTalk MS??!

This Week: Is this the cause of MS?  :22

STUDY: MSC:NP, a stem cell therapy for MS, delivers a positive outcome among people living with progressive MS  1:33

STUDY: Does EDSS tell the whole story of your MS status?   5:03

The International Progressive MS Alliance funds a research pipeline focused on improving well-being among people living with progressive MS  8:42

Webcast Replay: Developing Treatments to End MS Progression   10:24

Dr. Richard Rudick and Dr. Timothy Vartanian discuss a new discovery that may lead scientists to the cause of MS   11:36

Share this episode  29:25

Have you downloaded the free RealTalk MS app?  29:46

SHARE THIS EPISODE OF REALTALK MS

Just copy this link & paste it into your text or email: https://realtalkms.com/292

ADD YOUR VOICE TO THE CONVERSATION

I've always thought about the RealTalk MS podcast as a conversation. And this is your opportunity to join the conversation by sharing your feedback, questions, and suggestions for topics that we can discuss in future podcast episodes. Please shoot me an email or call the RealTalk MS Listener Hotline and share your thoughts!

Email: jon@realtalkms.com Phone: (310) 526-2283

And don't forget to join us in the RealTalk MS Facebook group!

LINKS

If your podcast app doesn't allow you to click on these links, you'll find them in the show notes in the RealTalk MS app or at www.RealTalkMS.com

STUDY: Epsilon Toxin-Producing Clostridium Perfringens Colonize the MS Gut and Epsilon Toxin Overcomes Immune Privilege https://www.jci.org/articles/view/163239

STUDY: Mesenchymal Stem Cell-Derived Neural Progenitors Attenuate Proinflammatory Microglial Activation Via Paracine Mechanisms https://futuremedicine.com/doi/10.2217/rme-2023-0005

STUDY: Cognitive Impairment, Fatigue and Depression in Multiple Sclerosis: Is There a Difference Between Benign and Non-Benign MS? journal.com/article/S2211-0348(23)00134-7/fulltext#%20">https://msard-journal.com/article/S2211-0348(23)00134-7/fulltext#%20

International Progressive MS Alliance: Well-Being in Multiple Sclerosis Research Funding Opportunity https://progressivemsalliance.org/2023/03/15/well-being-in-multiple-sclerosis-research-funding-opportunity

Prioritizing Progressive MS Rehabilitation Research: A Call from the International Progressive MS Alliance https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/pdf/10.1177/1352458521999970

Webcast Replay: Developing Treatments to End MS Progression https://www.facebook.com/watch/live/?ref=watch permalink&v=748824966910470

Join the RealTalk MS Facebook Group https://facebook.com/groups/realtalkms

Download the RealTalk MS App for iOS Devices https://itunes.apple.com/us/app/realtalk-ms/id1436917200

Download the RealTalk MS App for Android Deviceshttps://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=tv.wizzard.android.realtalk

Give RealTalk MS a rating and review http://www.realtalkms.com/review

Follow RealTalk MS on Twitter, @RealTalkMS_jon, and subscribe to our newsletter at our website, RealTalkMS.com.

RealTalk MS Episode 292 Guests: Dr. Richard Rudick and Dr. Timothy Vartanian

Tags: MS, MultipleSclerosis, MSResearch, MSSociety, RealTalkMS

To tell or not to tell. When it comes to disclosing your MS to friends and family, that is the question. Choosing when to disclose and to whom to disclose is a deeply personal decision. Joining me to talk about some of the risks and benefits of disclosing your diagnosis is Dr. Victoria Leavitt, a clinical neuropsychologist, researcher, and assistant professor of neuropsychology at Columbia University.

20230326-szzwssjcb9.jpg" alt="Dr. Victoria Leavitt" width="284" height="340">

Well also tell you about a just-announced collaboration to develop an Epstein-Barr Virus vaccine (and we'll tell you why that could be a huge step toward ending MS forever!)

We're sharing the details behind the MS International Federation's application to have three MS disease-modifying therapies added to the World Health Organization's list of essential medicines.

We'll tell you how a study that tested a fall prevention program for people living with MS who used a wheelchair or scooter full-time may have failed...and yet succeeded.

We're sharing the results of a study that set out to determine whether people over 50 who were living with MS were increasing their use of health care services because of their MS or simply because they were aging.

And we'll tell you about a study that focused on the psychosocial impact of MS on children who had a parent living with MS.

We have a lot to talk about! Are you ready for RealTalk MS??!

This Week: Disclosing Your MS  :22

Merck teams up with ModeX Therapeutics on an EBV vaccine  1:10

The MSIF applies to have 3 DMTs added to the WHO list of essential medicines   3:22

STUDY: A fall prevention program for people with MS who are full-time wheelchair or scooter users  6:47

STUDY: Health care usage among people over 50 who are living with MS  9:33

STUDY: The psychosocial impact of MS on children with a parent living with MS  12:02

Dr. Victoria Leavitt discusses the risks and rewards associated with disclosing your MS to friends and family   15:24

Share this episode  32:35

Have you downloaded the free RealTalk MS app?  32:55

SHARE THIS EPISODE OF REALTALK MS

Just copy this link & paste it into your text or email: https://realtalkms.com/290

ADD YOUR VOICE TO THE CONVERSATION

I've always thought about the RealTalk MS podcast as a conversation. And this is your opportunity to join the conversation by sharing your feedback, questions, and suggestions for topics that we can discuss in future podcast episodes. Please shoot me an email or call the RealTalk MS Listener Hotline and share your thoughts!

Email: jon@realtalkms.com Phone: (310) 526-2283

And don't forget to join us in the RealTalk MS Facebook group!

LINKS

If your podcast app doesn't allow you to click on these links, you'll find them in the show notes in the RealTalk MS app or at www.RealTalkMS.com

Editorial: Toward Equitable Access to Treatment for Multiple Sclerosis https://thelancet.com/action/showPdf?pii=S1474-4422%2823%2900041-8

STUDY:  Online Delivery of the Individualized Reduction of Falls Intervention for Persons with Multiple Sclerosis Who Use a Wheelchair or Scooter Full-Time: A Pilot Study https://meridian.allenpress.com/ijmsc/article/25/2/82/491441/Online-Delivery-of-the-Individualized-Reduction-of

STUDY: Outcomes and Health Care Service Use in Adults 50 Years and Older With and Without Multiple Sclerosis https://meridian.allenpress.com/ijmsc/article/25/2/56/486192/Outcomes-and-Health-Care-Service-Use-in-Adults-50

STUDY: The Psychosocial Impact of Parental Multiple Sclerosis on Children and Adolescents: A Systematic Review https://meridian.allenpress.com/ijmsc/article/25/2/63/487609/The-Psychosocial-Impact-of-Parental-Multiple

Join the RealTalk MS Facebook Group https://facebook.com/groups/realtalkms

Download the RealTalk MS App for iOS Devices https://itunes.apple.com/us/app/realtalk-ms/id1436917200

Download the RealTalk MS App for Android Deviceshttps://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=tv.wizzard.android.realtalk

Give RealTalk MS a rating and review http://www.realtalkms.com/review

Follow RealTalk MS on Twitter, @RealTalkMS_jon, and subscribe to our newsletter at our website, RealTalkMS.com.

RealTalk MS Episode 291 Guest: Dr. Victoria Leavitt

Tags: MS, MultipleSclerosis, MSResearch, MSSociety, RealTalkMS

If you're a regular listener, you've heard me say that the things that people affected by MS want the most -- access to quality healthcare, affordable prescription medications, and funding for MS research -- are, to a large extent, functions of public policy. The people who decide whether we get these things are our elected officials at both the state and federal level. That's why advocacy should be a high priority for everyone affected by MS.

Make no mistake. MS advocacy delivers real results. Joining me in exploring how advocacy drives changes that improve the lives of people living with MS, and why you may want to consider becoming an MS activist, are Holly Pendell, the National MS Society's Associate Vice-President of Advocacy and MS activist Angel Hardy Heinz.

Ready to learn more about MS advocacy? You can take the next step from the comfort of your own home. We're sharing the details of next week's virtual MS Activist Rally. 

We'll tell you about a study that found a Mediterranean Diet could have a positive impact on cognition among people living with MS

You'll learn about a clinical trial that's currently underway to determine whether aerobic exercise can promote myelin repair.

We're sharing the details about an upcoming International Progressive MS Alliance webcast that's focused on developing treatments for progressive MS.

And we'll tell you how high school seniors or college graduates who are affected by MS can apply for an Oscar the MS Monkey academic scholarship.

We have a lot to talk about! Are you ready for RealTalk MS??!

This Week: We're all about MS advocacy  :22

The virtual MS Activist Rally takes place March 28. Are you registered???  5:22

STUDY RESULTS: Mediterranean Diet Is associated with cognition in MS   8:01

A clinical trial is underway to determine whether aerobic exercise can promote myelin repair  9:43

The International Progressive MS Alliance is hosting a webcast focused on developing treatments for progressive MS  11:01

Oscar the MS Monkey is accepting academic scholarship applications from high school seniors and college graduates who are affected by MS  11:57

Holly Pendell, the National MS Society's Associate Vice-President of Advocacy and MS activist Angel Hardy Heinz discuss how advocacy makes a real difference in the lives of people affected by MS, and how you can get involved    13:49

Share this episode  27:12

Have you downloaded the free RealTalk MS app?  27:32

SHARE THIS EPISODE OF REALTALK MS

Just copy this link & paste it into your text or email: https://realtalkms.com/290

ADD YOUR VOICE TO THE CONVERSATION

I've always thought about the RealTalk MS podcast as a conversation. And this is your opportunity to join the conversation by sharing your feedback, questions, and suggestions for topics that we can discuss in future podcast episodes. Please shoot me an email or call the RealTalk MS Listener Hotline and share your thoughts!

Email: jon@realtalkms.com Phone: (310) 526-2283

And don't forget to join us in the RealTalk MS Facebook group!

LINKS

If your podcast app doesn't allow you to click on these links, you'll find them in the show notes in the RealTalk MS app or at www.RealTalkMS.com

National MS Society MS Activist Rally registration https://p2a.co/Rally2023

STUDY:  Mediterranean Diet is Associated with Cognition in Multiple Sclerosis https://aan.com/MSA/Public/Events/AbstractDetails/52954

Webcast: Developing Treatments to End MS Progression registration https://msif.org/progressiveMSwebcast

Oscar the MS Monkey Academic Scholarship Application http://mroscarmonkey.org/site/Scholarship%20Application%202023.pdf

Join the RealTalk MS Facebook Group https://facebook.com/groups/realtalkms

Download the RealTalk MS App for iOS Devices https://itunes.apple.com/us/app/realtalk-ms/id1436917200

Download the RealTalk MS App for Android Deviceshttps://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=tv.wizzard.android.realtalk

Give RealTalk MS a rating and review http://www.realtalkms.com/review

Follow RealTalk MS on Twitter, @RealTalkMS_jon, and subscribe to our newsletter at our website, RealTalkMS.com.

RealTalk MS Episode 290 Guests: Holly Pendell and Angel Hardy Heinz

Tags: MS, MultipleSclerosis, MSResearch, MSSociety, RealTalkMS

For many people, one of the most challenging aspects of living with MS is living with uncertainty. Living with unanswerable questions like, "Is today the day I experience a relapse?" "Will my disability worsen?" "Will I be able to continue working?" "Will I be able to take care of my family?"   

These are all very real questions, and while there may not be answers for them today, there are steps you can take and strategies you can adopt to ensure that you're managing and minimizing the uncertainty of living with MS.

Joining me to talk about her journey as a mom living with MS and to share how she's learned to cope with the uncertainty of MS is MS advocate Sarah Wolfe. Also joining our conversation with specific strategies for living your best life despite the uncertainties of MS is Dr. Laura Hancock, a neuropsychologist at the University of Wisconsin School of Medicine and Public Health.

It's a big topic, and I'm devoting this entire MS Awareness Week episode of RealTalk MS to my conversation with Sarah Wolfe and Dr. Laura Hancock.

We have a lot to talk about! Are you ready for RealTalk MS??!

This Week: It's MS Awareness Week and we're talking about living with the uncertainty of MS  :22

MS advocate Sarah Wolfe and Neuropsychologist Dr. Laura Hancock discuss the many different facets of successfully living with the uncertainty of MS    3:38

Share this episode  39:55

Have you downloaded the free RealTalk MS app?  40:15

SHARE THIS EPISODE OF REALTALK MS

Just copy this link & paste it into your text or email: https://realtalkms.com/289

ADD YOUR VOICE TO THE CONVERSATION

I've always thought about the RealTalk MS podcast as a conversation. And this is your opportunity to join the conversation by sharing your feedback, questions, and suggestions for topics that we can discuss in future podcast episodes. Please shoot me an email or call the RealTalk MS Listener Hotline and share your thoughts!

Email: jon@realtalkms.com Phone: (310) 526-2283

And don't forget to join us in the RealTalk MS Facebook group!

LINKS

If your podcast app doesn't allow you to click on these links, you'll find them in the show notes in the RealTalk MS app or at www.RealTalkMS.com

Join the RealTalk MS Facebook Group https://facebook.com/groups/realtalkms

Download the RealTalk MS App for iOS Devices https://itunes.apple.com/us/app/realtalk-ms/id1436917200

Download the RealTalk MS App for Android Deviceshttps://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=tv.wizzard.android.realtalk

Give RealTalk MS a rating and review http://www.realtalkms.com/review

Follow RealTalk MS on Twitter, @RealTalkMS_jon, and subscribe to our newsletter at our website, RealTalkMS.com.

RealTalk MS Episode 289 Guests: Sarah Wolfe and Dr. Laura Hancock

Tags: MS, MultipleSclerosis, MSResearch, MSSociety, RealTalkMS

When you visit the Oceans of Hope U.K. website, it reads, "Oceans of Hope is for people with MS, led by people with MS." It goes on to say, "Our aim is to offer people from all over the world the opportunity to experience sailing as a way of learning new skills and restoring the self-confidence which can be stolen by MS."

The folks at Oceans of Hope U.K. can make that claim with high confidence. My guest today is the founder of Oceans of Hope U.K., Robert Munns, who lives with MS himself. Robert had what he describes as a life-changing experience while serving as a member of the crew on what turned out to be an unforgettable sailing adventure. Robert's story is one you won't want to miss.

Today, Oceans of Hope U.K. offers anyone living with MS the opportunity to experience that same personal transformation that Robert experienced.

When you review your MRI scans with your neurologist, the focus is on those white matter lesions that characterize MS. However, study results announced at the 2023 ACTRIMS Forum show that white matter lesions are not the cause of severe MS disability. We're breaking down this game-changing research. 

And speaking of game changers, we're sharing the details of a small, portable MRI device that can effectively image MS lesions. 

We have a lot to talk about! Are you ready for RealTalk MS??!

This Week: News from the 2023 ACTRIMS Forum and a story that I hope you find as compelling as I did  :22

Study results show that white matter lesions are not the cause of severe MS disability 2:22

A portable less invasive MRI device capable of imaging MS lesions  6:33

Meet Robert Munns, the founder of Oceans of Hope UK    9:25

Share this episode  37:20

Have you downloaded the free RealTalk MS app?  37:41

SHARE THIS EPISODE OF REALTALK MS

Just copy this link & paste it into your text or email: https://realtalkms.com/288

ADD YOUR VOICE TO THE CONVERSATION

I've always thought about the RealTalk MS podcast as a conversation. And this is your opportunity to join the conversation by sharing your feedback, questions, and suggestions for topics that we can discuss in future podcast episodes. Please shoot me an email or call the RealTalk MS Listener Hotline and share your thoughts!

Email: jon@realtalkms.com Phone: (310) 526-2283

And don't forget to join us in the RealTalk MS Facebook group!

LINKS

If your podcast app doesn't allow you to click on these links, you'll find them in the show notes in the RealTalk MS app or at www.RealTalkMS.com

Oceans of Hope U.K. https://oceansofhope.co.uk

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RealTalk MS Episode 288 Guest: Robert Munns

Tags: MS, MultipleSclerosis, MSResearch, MSSociety, RealTalkMS

Last week in San Diego, the Americas Committee for Treatment and Research in Multiple Sclerosis convened their annual meeting, the ACTRIMS Forum. One of the highlights of this meeting is the presentation of the Barancik Prize, awarded in recognition of exceptional innovation in MS research.

This year's winner of the Barancik Prize is Dr. Ruth Ann Marrie, a clinician scientist at the University of Manitoba. The Barancik Prize is administered by the National MS Society, and this year's award recognizes Dr. Marrie's landmark discoveries that deepen our understanding of how and when MS evolves. 

During the ACTRIMS Forum, Dr. Marrie joined me to discuss her groundbreaking research and the impact it's had on MS care.

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If you're a regular listener, you've probably heard me say that the things that people affected by MS want most -- access to quality healthcare, affordable prescription medications, and funding for MS research are, to a large extent, all functions of public policy. The people who decide whether we get these things are our elected officials at the state and federal level.  That's why advocacy is a high priority for people affected by MS.

The National MS Society's Public Policy Conference takes place next week, March 6-8, in Washington, D.C. Joining me to discuss how advocacy makes a real difference in influencing pending legislation, while giving us a preview of what we can expect to see and hear at this year's conference, is the National MS Society's Executive Vice-President for Advocacy and Healthcare Access, Bari Talente.

We have a lot to talk about! Are you ready for RealTalk MS??!

This Week: We're back from the ACTRIMS Forum and a conversation with this year's winner of the Barancik Prize for innovation in MS research  :22

Dr. Ruth Ann Marrie discusses some of her groundbreaking research and its impact on MS care  1:57

We are one week away from the National MS Society's Public Policy Conference in Washington, D.C.  17:18

Bari Talente, the National MS Society's Executive Vice-President of Advocacy and Healthcare Access, discusses the importance of advocacy, while sharing a preview of the legislative issues that MS activists will be advocating for next week on Capitol Hill    18:18

Share this episode  32:25

Have you downloaded the free RealTalk MS app?  32:45

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LINKS

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Join the RealTalk MS Facebook Group https://facebook.com/groups/realtalkms

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Download the RealTalk MS App for Android Deviceshttps://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=tv.wizzard.android.realtalk

Give RealTalk MS a rating and review http://www.realtalkms.com/review

Follow RealTalk MS on Twitter, @RealTalkMS_jon, and subscribe to our newsletter at our website, RealTalkMS.com.

RealTalk MS Episode 287 Guests: Dr. Ruth Ann Marrie and Bari Talente

Tags: MS, MultipleSclerosis, MSResearch, MSSociety, RealTalkMS