We need your help!

MS-UK saw a 44% increase in calls to our helpline in the first month of lockdown alone, with the multiple sclerosis (MS) community searching for essential information and emotional support. We have also seen a surge in demand for our counselling service, so it is clear to us that our community needs us, but like many other charities, we are facing very uncertain times. With fundraising events cancelled we estimate a loss of £300,000 as a direct result of COVID-19 in 2020 alone.

Our recently published Loneliness and Isolation report revealed that before COVID-19, 71% of people living with or affected by MS in the UK experience loneliness and isolation, or have done in the past. We knew all too well just how damaging this pandemic could be to our community, so we quickly found ways to adapt our services to maintain the essential support our clients need from us on very little or no income to ensure no one has to face MS alone. Our clients have seen the value and truly appreciate these new ways of receiving support, like our online accessible exercise classes and coffee mornings, but we need your donations to ensure we can continue to be here for those who need us most now and in the future.

Living with MS can be isolating enough without having to deal with the complications a pandemic brings and as the country begins to emerge from lockdown, for people living with MS life could become even more complexed. They will have many more questions, such as is it safe to return to work, can I socialise with my family, should I take my MS drugs, and our helpline team will seek out the best information and resources available so they can make informed decisions about how they too can return to normal life.

The pandemic is not over and there are more uncertain times ahead, but together, with your help, we can ensure people living with MS emerge from lockdown safely and with the right support. It costs £2,520 to run the national MS-UK Helpline for just one week and a single counselling session for someone struggling with their mental health costs £50, so any donation you can make, big or small, will help us sustain our all-important services. Thank you!