Can Do Multiple Sclerosis (Can Do MS) announced the launch of MS Path 2 Care, a new educational initiative that aims to empower people affected by multiple sclerosis (MS) to be active partners in their healthcare experience. The programme was developed in collaboration with Sanofi Genzyme, the specialty care global business unit of Sanofi. It focuses on the importance of shared decision making in MS care and encouraging people with MS to work collaboratively with their support partners and their broader healthcare teams.

“At Can Do MS, we believe that it is critical for people with MS to be proactive and engaged in managing their own care. That is why we are so excited by the launch of MS Path 2 Care, which provides information and tools that can help address a wide range of challenges from MS,” said Anne Gilbert, the organization’s Director of Programmes.

MS Path 2 Care aims to help patients take charge of managing the full scope of their disease and enrich relationships most critical to their MS journeys. The initiative brings together experts from across the MS community, including people living with MS, healthcare providers specializing in MS, and national advocacy organizations.

“We are happy to be collaborating with Can Do MS on MS Path 2 Care, an important, new resource for people living with MS and their support partners,” said Christina Rossi, North America Commercial Lead, MS, at Sanofi Genzyme. “We believe it is important for people impacted by MS to take an active role in the management of their disease and are committed to supporting programmes that help drive better and more informed care.”

The initiative’s website, www.MSPath2Care.com, features four educational modules, each providing insights and stories from people impacted by MS. To inform the development of these modules, Can Do MS and Sanofi Genzyme worked closely with the Society for Participatory Medicine, an organization focused on promoting collaboration and communication among patients, caregivers, and healthcare professionals to foster patient engagement and education.

Topics explored in the modules include:  Understanding Your Healthcare Team – Highlighting the importance of establishing a broad healthcare team who can help manage different aspects of MS; Partnering with Your Healthcare Team – Building a trusting and collaborative partnership with your healthcare team to manage the wide range of effects MS can have on daily life;  Navigating the Healthcare System – Exploring resources that can help you manage MS and its potential impact on finances, work, and relationships; Strengthening Your Support Partnership – Examining the impact that a strong MS support partnership can have on the physical, cognitive, and emotional challenges of MS.

“The patient and the healthcare provider are both experts in MS; they are partners in care. The provider is an expert in the science, and the patient lives with the disease every day. Having been on both sides of the conversation, I know that each has a unique and complementary perspective, so it is vital that developing a care plan is a collaborative effort,” said programme participant Stephanie Buxhoeveden, MSCN, MSN, FNP-BC, who is living with MS. “From this standpoint, a resource like MS Path 2 Care is so valuable because it provides MS patients with the tools they need to start a constructive dialogue with their healthcare providers and empowers them to take charge of their own disease journey.”

An estimated 400,000 people in the United States are living with MS, a serious, life-long, progressive, immune-mediated inflammatory and neurodegenerative disease in which the immune system attacks the central nervous system.

March is designated MS Awareness Month, dedicated to increasing knowledge about the signs and symptoms of the disease, as well as its burden on people living with MS and their support partners.

To access the educational modules, as well as other helpful resources, people impacted by MS can visit MSPath2Care.com.

MS Path 2 Care is a collaborative initiative developed by Can Do MS, Sanofi Genzyme, and The Society for Participatory Medicine. It focuses on the importance of shared decision making between people living with MS, their care partners, and their healthcare team, and encourages strong and collaborative relationships with those involved in MS care.

A national nonprofit organization based in Avon, Colorado, Can Do MS delivers health and wellness education programs on exercise, nutrition, symptom management, and motivation to help families thrive.