Multiple Sclerosis Foundation
The Multiple Sclerosis Foundation is a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization benefiting people with multiple sclerosis and their families. Established in 1986, and headquartered in Fort Lauderdale, Florida, the mission of the MSF is "to provide programs and support services to those persons affected by MS that help them maintain health, safety, self-sufficiency, and personal well-being; and to heighten public awareness of multiple sclerosis in order to elicit financial support for the MSF’s programs and services and promote understanding for those diagnosed with the illness."
The Multiple Sclerosis Foundation (MSF) provides a comprehensive approach to helping people with MS maintain their health and well-being. The MSF offer programming and support to keep them self-sufficient and their homes safe, while their educational programs heighten public awareness and promote understanding about the disease.
The MSF’s resources assist people who have MS, their families and caregivers, regional support groups, and healthcare professionals. Access to programs and services is available through the interactive web site or national, toll-free helpline staffed by caring caseworkers and peer counselors. Their priority is to serve with empathy, resourcefulness and responsibility.
All MSF services, as well as information, literature and subscriptions to publications are provided free of charge. The MSF neither sells memberships nor requires participation in fund-raising activities by individuals or support groups.
Services include caseworkers who counsel clients and assist in finding viable solutions to issues that persons living with multiple sclerosis deal with daily. Caseworkers work closely with other service providers to ensure that clients receive the proper information and care that they need. The MSF’s Programs and Services Department goes beyond just providing necessary assistive items to their clients, they also provide vital emotional support and welfare checks via telephone and in-person.
The MSF’s programs and services include the following:
Telephone Helpline Resources, Homecare Assistance Grant Program, Assistive Technology and Equipment Program, Cooling Program, Computer Grant Program, Brighter Tomorrow Grant Program, Complementary and Alternative Medicine, MSF Independent Support Group Program, MSF Lending Library, MSF Publications, MSF Website and Internet Forums, and Services for Healthcare Workers.
Support for the MSF’s programs and services comes from grants, fundraisers, charitable bequests and pledges. More than 70 percent of the funds raised by the Foundation go directly into services designed to improve the quality of life for people with MS. All services are free of charge.
Public education and awareness is achieved year-round through national and regional programs presented by doctors, nurses and healthcare professionals who specialize in MS. National MS Education and Awareness Month® is recognized every year in March by the MSF and affiliated groups. The campaign’s goals are to promote an understanding of the scope of the disease, and to assist people with MS in making educated decisions about their healthcare.
The MSF Cruise for a Cause ® is offered by the MSF each year as an innovative, educational program at sea. Lectures by renowned MS specialists, workshops by healthcare professionals, discussion groups, question and answer sessions, social gatherings and shore excursions offer many opportunities for learning and fun.
The MSF presents a wide range of medical and health information in a clear, accurate, and objective manner so that people who have MS can make educated choices in managing their healthcare. Through an array of publications, the MSF provides the most current MS research and news along with advice from leading experts on how to maintain health, safety, self-sufficiency and personal well-being while living with MS.