MS week 2001
30 May 2001
MS Week 2001, an annual event run by MS Australia, began on Sunday, June 3. MS Week is a national campaign that aims to raise awareness of multiple sclerosis and the MS Society.
Multiple sclerosis is one of the most common diseases of the brain and spinal cord, affecting an estimated 2.5 million people worldwide. Multiple sclerosis means ‘many scars’, which refers to the plaques or lesions found in the brain or spinal cord of people with MS.
The symptoms of MS include fatigue, weakness, and problems with speech, mobility, vision and cognition. As yet, the exact cause of MS is not known, and while there are no drugs that can cure MS, treatments are available that can help to moderate the course of the disease.
MS Week is held each year during the first week of June, and in 2001 runs from Sunday 3 June to Saturday 9 June. A number of activities and events have been scheduled for each state and territory in Australia.
The biggest initiative of MS Week 2001 will be Barrack for MS. This fundraising event was first launched in 2000, and proved to be a very popular event, with many workplaces and schools participating.
Barrack for MS involves people dressing up in their favourite AFL team’s gear and buying a badge to ‘Barrack for MS’.
Other events to be held around the country as part of MS Week 2001 include the Colonial State Fun Run/Walk for MS in NSW, the MS Walk on Queensland’s Sunshine Coast, an MS Gala Dinner in Western Australia as well as the launch of the MS READ-a-thon.
Last Reviewed: 04 June 2001
