World MS Day is coming up on May 30, 2022: a day for the global MS community to come together and share their stories; offering each other support, but also creating more awareness about the truth of living with multiple sclerosis (MS). In honour of this day, Evelijne from Bristol Myers Squibb was asked to be a guest host of the Instagram page of Platform MS, one of the largest online communities for MS patients in the Netherlands. Every week someone new gets the chance to tell his/her story via the page.
What is MS?
Multiple sclerosis (MS) is one of the most common diseases of the central nervous system (brain and spinal cord). Today, 2.8 million people worldwide suffer from MS1. Interestingly, people living in colder countries are more likely to get MS than those who live closer to the equator2. In the Netherlands, about 1 in 1,000 people or 17,000 individuals have MS.3
MS is an autoimmune disease that damages the central nervous system. In an autoimmune disease, the immune system turns against its own body. In the case of MS it turns against the protective layer (myelin) that surrounds nerve fibres. This can damage nerves in different parts of the central nervous system. This can cause many different noticeable and unnoticeable symptoms throughout the body.
Most people with MS are diagnosed between the ages of 20 and 40. Moreover, MS is two to three times more common in women than in men. Bristol Myers Squibb is committed to helping people with MS every day. For the moment, there is no cure for MS, but there are treatments that can change the progression of the disease and reduce the symptoms4.
I Connect, We Connect on Instagram
World MS Day is all about connecting with each other and social media is an ideal way to share stories and experiences. MS is sometimes called the disease of a thousand faces. That’s why it’s important to map out as many stories as possible, so that patients feel surrounded by support and their community. From 30 May to 5 June, Evelijne from BMS will be taking over the Instragram page of Platform MS, a platform that shares personal experiences about MS. Evelijne will give Platform MS followers an inside look at her work and private life to show them what it is like behind the scenes at Bristol Myers Squibb. Watch Evelijne's story here: https://instagram.com/platformms.nl?igshid=YmMyMTA2M2Y=
Evelijne will take you with her as she tries to deliver on her daily commitment to improve the quality of life of people with MS, and also show you how she relaxes and recharges to allow her to do this work with full dedication. In conversations with various colleagues, followers will learn more about what happens on the side of the pharmaceutical industry before a drug is launched on the market. She also visits important partners such as the Medisch Spectrum Twente to discuss a patient case with neurologist Lucille Dorresteijn.
Curious? Follow Platform MS on Instagram so you don’t miss out: https://instagram.com/platformms.nl?igshid=YmMyMTA2M2Y=