For over 25 years, Merck KGaA, Darmstadt, Germany, has been working to better understand Multiple Sclerosis (MS) from the inside out, by delivering solutions that improve the lives of all those affected by it. First launched in 2009 by the MS International Federation (MSIF), World MS Day is an important moment for us to join forces with other organisations and build global connections to support the MS community.

In support of the MS International Federation’s (MSIF) World MS Day, our efforts focus on two of the campaign angles chosen for 2024. 

My MS Diagnosis advocates for early and accurate diagnosis for everyone living with MS, highlighting global barriers to diagnosing the disease. For this year’s campaign, we’ve invited three people living with MS to share their experiences during the diagnosis phase and used a generative AI program to generate images representing that moment of their lives.

As well, we are joining the MSIF’s MS Heart Challenge – you can support the challenge by sharing an MS Heart image here or post it on your own socials, using the #WorldMSDay #MyMSDiagnosis hashtags.

Since 2020, #MSConnections has been the theme for the MS International Federation’s annual World MS Day, being held this year on Tuesday, May 30th. Merck KGaA, Darmstadt, Germany, is proud to again support their global campaign with a mix of internal and external initiatives.

In 2022, we first created employee teams across the globe to participate in MSIF’s annual The May 50K, raising funds to support MS research. For 2023, we will bolster our efforts to encourage our fellow employees and friends to join the challenge, going beyond our own teams. We’ll feature our efforts on our corporate Social Media channels and invite our followers to learn more about how to engage with activities taking place in May. 

Follow us on Twitter as well as our Linkedin page, and remember to use the hashtags #MSConnections and #MSInsideOut when sharing your posts in support of this important annual awareness campaign.

In support of the MS International Federation’s annual World MS Day, our 2021 campaign encouraged people to #MoveForMS with a ‘virtual’ relay of challenges at all levels that asked participants to #MoveForMS across multiple social media platforms, raising money and awareness in support of those affected by Multiple Sclerosis. With our campaign, social media influencers and Merck KGaA, Darmstadt, Germany ambassadors kicked off a relay in early May with their own fun activity for people to try, then “played it forward” inviting others to join in during the campaign, all in support of World MS Day.

To mark World MS Day 2020, we supported MS International Federation (MSIF)`s campaign #MSConnections, which sets out to challenge social barriers, celebrate support networks and build community connection.

On May 28^th, 2020, we announced a global collaboration with Twitch, the world's leading service and community for multiplayer entertainment, for World MS Day May 30^th.

In support of World MS Day and to show our commitment to understanding MS from the inside out, we joined forces with Twitch. Through an 8-hour live stream with Twitch influencers and special guests on May 30, 2020, Merck KGaA, Darmstadt, Germany, and Twitch gave back to the MS community by virtually connecting people affected by the disease and raising awareness among young gamers to fight stigma.  

References:

¹ https://www.mssociety.org.uk/what-we-do/news/loneliness-report