May 25th was World MS Day! This day is about raising awareness and mobilizing the global movement. Multiple sclerosis (MS) is a chronic disease that attacks the central nervous system (CNS), which is made up of the brain, spinal cord, and optic nerves. Over 2,000,000 people in the world have MS. It is one of the most common disabling neurological conditions amongst young adults in the northern hemisphere.

World MS Day was launched on May 27, 2009 with over 200 events in 67 countries. It's an opportunity to raise awareness about MS and to strengthen the network of people living with MS across the world. World MS Day 2009 and 2010 were great successes with activities taking place in more than 60 countries worldwide.

The United States and Canada showed their support of World MS Day 2011 by shining orange lights across Niagara Falls and on the peace bridge which links the two countries together. Local news stations reported the color change to raise awareness about MS amongst the general public.

If you'd like to give your support to all those who have been diagnosed with MS, please go to the World MS Day website and sign their petition to encourage employers and policy makers to remove the obstacles preventing people with MS from being, or staying employed.

For more information, visit: http://worldmsday.org

Send your questions and comments to Jenny Carlton, NCHPAD News Editor, at jcarlto1@uic.edu.