This MS Awareness Week, Beverley Bryant, Head of Creative, shares her insights following development of the multiple scleroris experience.
MS Awareness Week 2026, running from the 20th to the 26th of April, is shining a light on something that doesn’t always get the attention it deserves: the reality that multiple sclerosis (MS) is widely misunderstood, unpredictable, and often invisible.
This year’s campaign encourages all of us to learn the facts, challenge assumptions, and rethink what we believe we know, using the hashtag #MSThinkAgain.
I’ll be honest, I’m someone who had my own misconceptions about MS.
Before I created the A Life in a Day MS experience, my understanding of the condition was limited. I had heard of MS before, and I even have a distant relative who was diagnosed around ten years ago. But familiarity isn’t the same as understanding, and I didn’t fully grasp just how complex and varied the condition really is.
Through the project, I had the privilege of speaking with people living with MS, healthcare professionals who support them, and the loved ones who walk alongside them every day. It didn’t take long for one thing to become very clear: there is no single MS experience.
One of the first things that surprised me was learning that women are more likely to be diagnosed with MS.
Even more eye-opening was understanding the sheer range of symptoms. Like many people, I had previously associated MS mainly with mobility issues, things like balance and walking difficulties. But MS is so much more than that. It can affect fatigue levels in a way that is completely debilitating. It can impact vision, memory, and thinking. It can influence bladder and bowel function. These aren’t just minor inconveniences. They are life-altering challenges that people manage every single day.
What really struck me, though, was the unpredictability.
MS doesn’t follow a neat or consistent pattern. Someone might have a ‘good day’ where they feel relatively capable, only to be followed by a ‘bad day’ where even simple tasks feel overwhelming. That fluctuation can be difficult not only for those living with MS, but also for the people around them trying to understand what’s happening.
And then there’s the fact that, for many, MS is largely invisible.
From the outside, someone might look completely fine, which can make it harder for others to recognise or appreciate what they’re going through. From my own personal experience of living with IBD, I can empathise with how isolating that can feel, and how easy it is for misconceptions to persist when a condition isn’t always physically obvious.
Looking back, I can see how limited my understanding was. Not through any ill intent, but simply through a lack of awareness. And that’s exactly why campaigns like this matter.
MS Awareness Week isn’t just about sharing information. It’s about shifting perspectives. It’s about encouraging all of us to question what we think we know, to listen more closely, and to recognise that everyone’s experience is different.
As always, the experiences I’ve had the honour of being involved in have left a lasting impression on me, and the A Life in a Day MS experience is no exception. It’s changed how I think, how I listen, and how I respond when I hear misconceptions about MS.
Now, when I hear something that doesn’t quite reflect the reality of the condition, I feel a responsibility to challenge it, to gently correct, to share what I’ve learned, and to keep the conversation going.
I’m grateful for that.
Grateful for the people who shared their stories so openly. Grateful for the insight I’ve gained. And grateful for the reminder that understanding starts with listening.
So, this MS Awareness Week, I’d encourage everyone to do the same. Learn the facts, stay curious, and, when it comes to MS, think again.
