AWARENESS & ACTION WITH TARANAKI MS
The Taranaki Multiple Sclerosis Society is a not-for-profit organisation that’s been supporting Taranaki people with MS, other allied neurological conditions and their carers for 45 years.
Multiple sclerosis is a disease of the central nervous system in which the immune system attacks myelin, a covering that protects the nerves. Breaking it down can cause numbness, weakness, trouble walking, vision changes and other symptoms.
“When I was diagnosed 11 years ago, the neurologist said it’s called the “snowflake disease” because each person's symptoms are different,” said Graham Walker, Taranaki MS Society President.
Toi Foundation funding enables Taranaki MS to employ a Community Advisor (CA) to organise activities and support MS patients and their families from all around the region.
“The Toi Foundation grant also enabled us to finance a car for our CA, and send her away for training,” said Graham.
“Our mission is to help people through their journey, to understand what’s available, develop strategies and assist them to navigate the system to get what they need. We also organise activities, coffee mornings, social events and fundraisers.
“In the past three years we’ve got gym classes going, which is huge because exercise is medicine for people with neurological conditions. And we’re just getting targeted physiotherapy off the ground with some really great therapists including one neuro physiotherapist.
“Raising awareness is a big part of it, too, so that newly diagnosed people know we’re there and can access information and our services.”
As one family wrote recently,
“It’s so reassuring to know we have someone to help that’s accessible and knowledgeable. She’s connected us with the local clinical team, with a support group and with an exercise group. We would have been absolutely lost without her.”
“The Toi funding makes an unbelievable difference,” said Graham.
“But there will still be people with MS out in the community who don’t know we exist. So, we just want to get the message out that we’re here and we can help.” 