How To Directly Support Multiple Sclerosis Research

MStranslate is proud to announce the launch of a new, exciting initiative, designed to strengthen the connection between the multiple sclerosis community and MS researchers. For the first time via MStranslate, you can now directly support MS research projects.

MStranslate will be featuring multiple sclerosis research projects that currently do not have funding support to be conducted.  Each project will have a specific page on our website, which will feature large amounts of content designed to provide information about the background to the study, the researchers involved, how the research will be undertaken and importantly, the potential outcomes for people living with multiple sclerosis.  As part of each campaign, researchers will be participate in a number of Facebook Live broadcasts with our followers, providing members of the MS community the opportunity to directly ask questions about the project.

As well as information about the research project, the campaign page will include a link to ‘donate’ or ‘support the project’.  If you believe that the study is important, having read a detailed summary of what it is about, then we ask that you contribute towards the funding goal. Each project will have a total amount that results in all aspects of the study being undertaken, as well as target milestones along the way and what reaching those goals will allow the scientists to do.  Every little bit counts and helps support high-quality multiple sclerosis research that will provide real outcomes for people living with MS.  As well as donating directly, you can also help support the work by engaging with the content and sharing it with your networks.  The more people that know about the research, the more likely it is that the funding goals will be reached.

It is important to understand how the money donated will be utilised.  Firstly, 90% of all of the money raised goes directly to the research team to conduct the promoted study.  These funds will be given to the project at the completion of the campaign even if the overall target is not met.  The remaining 10% will go to MStranslate to help provide content that will support these campaigns and ensure that the MS community remains informed, and receives high-quality information, about the projects that they are supporting.

There are two main reasons why we believe that this is an important new direction for us to take.  Firstly, we have had lots of feedback throughout the years from our community about their desire to have a say in the type of multiple sclerosis research that is conducted.  We have a strong commitment in listening to our followers and believe that this is one way to help them achieve those goals.  Secondly, the current climate in research is making it increasingly difficult for researchers to obtain funding to help support their work.  Many MS organisations around the world are working tirelessly to ensure that multiple sclerosis research is not hindered by these limitations, but it is a problem that we must all work together to overcome.  We believe that this initiative can be our way of reinforcing the efforts of other organisations and make sure that we are playing our part in this process.

Information about the first project that we are supporting can be found here.