Your time, your life: the seventh SM – Walcz o siebie campaign

MS treatment aims to slow disease progression and help people remain active for as long as possible. Early treatment can play an important role. The seventh edition of SM – Walcz o siebie (“MS — Fight for Yourself”) launches in May.  Your time, your life! — the campaign’s message for 2018.

Multiple sclerosis (MS) is a chronic immune-mediated condition affecting the central nervous system, often diagnosed in young adults. Symptoms vary and may include changes in vision or sensation, weakness, balance and coordination difficulties, speech problems and cognitive difficulties. At the time of the 2018 campaign, National Health Fund data indicated that around 46,000 people in Poland were living with MS.

Appropriate treatment can help reduce symptoms and control disease activity. According to Professor Krzysztof Selmaj, successful MS treatment means maintaining a stable neurological condition over many years, without relapses or new demyelinating lesions on MRI.

The 2018 SM – Walcz o siebie campaign theme - Your time, your life! — covers the journey from diagnosis and choosing treatment to managing life with a long-term condition. The campaign emphasises timely treatment, individual needs and comprehensive care.

“This year, we are saying that diagnosis is a time to act: to learn about available therapies, take an active role and make informed decisions,” says Malina Wieczorek, President of the SM – Walcz o siebie Foundation. “Find out how to access treatment promptly and talk to your doctor about your plans for work, family and parenthood so that treatment can reflect your needs. Our active participation matters — this is our life.”

Quality of life and wellbeing are becoming central to discussions about MS care, including people’s ability to pursue personal and professional goals.

In the past, an MS diagnosis often meant leaving work and relying on disability benefits. The campaign highlights a changing outlook: people want to remain active, work, raise families and pursue their goals. 

“We are investing PLN 300 million a year in disease-modifying treatment through first- and second-line drug programmes, and we can see the value of that investment. Professor Krzysztof Selmaj’s 2017 data showed that 59% of people with MS were working. Social Insurance Institution data also showed that MS-related absence fell in 2016 for the first time in several years,” - explains Dr Jakub Gierczyński of Łazarski University.

Psychological research also supports this trend, including work by Professor Dominika Maison.

“In our 2014 study, both people with MS and those close to them emphasised the importance of staying in work. Employment offers motivation, strengthens self-esteem and provides social connections, helping people remain active,” supplements Professor Dominika Maison, Dean of the Faculty of Psychology at the University of Warsaw.

Improved access to effective therapies has played an important role in this change. At the time of the 2018 campaign, eleven treatments were registered for relapsing-remitting MS. Choosing a treatment requires consideration of likely disease progression, family plans, age, potential side effects and the longer-term implications of therapy. It also requires specialist knowledge of the latest evidence and guidance, discussed each year at the ECTRIMS congress.

“We are finally focusing on personalised treatment, a priority in MS care. New oral medicines have marked a significant step forward, alongside established therapies with well-understood safety profiles. We are expecting reimbursement decisions on two further treatments within the year, including the first for primary progressive MS. Nursing support and physical and cognitive rehabilitation are also essential,” - adds Malina Wieczorek, President of the SM – Walcz o siebie Foundation.

Personalised treatment and comprehensive care are priorities in MS. They are also reflected in the new Personalised Treatment section of the Szkoła Motywacji website (http://www.szkola-motywacji.pl/kategoria/personalizacja-leczenia), which shares information on approaches to MS care. In its first year, specialists contributed more than 200 videos. The initiative’s honorary patrons include the psychology faculties of the University of Warsaw and Cardinal Stefan Wyszyński University, Łazarski University, the Institute for Patients’ Rights and Health Education, and the Institute for Health Communication.

The seventh SM – Walcz o siebie campaign will run across television, press, radio, online media, outdoor advertising, buses, cinemas and screens in Luxmed clinics, supported by social media. Partners include TVP, TVN and AMS. TELESCOPE, Pigeon Group, Eura7 and Media People are responsible for campaign strategy and delivery.

The seventh campaign edition began in May, with activity continuing throughout the year. Its official launch coincides with World MS Day 2018. The campaign is organised by the SM – Walcz o siebie Foundation in partnership with PTSR (Polish Multiple Sclerosis Society) and the Urszula Jaworska Foundation. Supporters include Biogen, Bayer, Sanofi Genzyme, Merck, Roche, Novartis and Alvogen.

Please visit www.sm-walczosiebie.pl

www.szkola-motywacji.pl