Why we took part in Game Over for MS 2021
Mark Wiseman and his boyfriend Mart love to game. They took part in last year’s Game Over for MS and raised over £1000. Find out about their livestream and tips for people looking to take part in this year’s event.
Hi Mark, tell us a bit about yourself
I'm 30 years-old and live with my boyfriend of almost 5 years, Mart, in the North West of England. I’ve worked in computing and software development for the past 7 years. I was originally hired as a software engineer but changed to IT Systems Admin as my health got worse.
I like to travel around the world, both with my boyfriend and with work. But obviously haven’t travelled much in the past 18 months. MS put a few hurdles in the road for travel. But after making some changes, I'm back and ready to travel the world again as restrictions continue to lift.
When did your MS journey start?
I started 2018 as a “healthy” 26 year-old. But after a series of falls and the loss of my sight in my left eye, I was diagnosed in the December. The process was long and challenging, but Mart was by my side through it all.
We’d been together 18 months at the time of diagnosis and he stayed with me and supported me in every way he could. I was very lucky as he helped around the house and with cooking and cleaning.
Why did you take part in Game Over for MS?
The MS Society helped me a lot over the last 3 years, from just before my diagnosis to now. Game Over for MS combined my love for gaming with the chance to raise funds for a charity that’s helped me so much. So Mart and I started planning ways to bring this to life straight away.
What console do you stream from? What games do you usually play?
Mart usually plays story-driven games he’s never played before on his PS5. These are then fed into his PC where OBS is used to add an overlay and webcam before the stream goes live.
He streams 3 times a week on Twitch using the username sMartTVGaming. And he has around 1500 followers. I can usually be found lurking around in the chat, too.
Explore and follow Mart's Twitch profile
What happened during the stream?
Mart did most of the actual streaming. He used his existing stream and community, and I took over during the breaks. I was also hanging out in chat to answer any questions people had that Mart couldn’t answer.
His community really came together to spur him on. They kept him busy and entertained throughout, and spread the word to their own communities. This led to a busy stream and, more importantly, lots of donations. In total, Mart raised more than twice the goal we set out to reach.
During the stream, Mart talked about MS, how it affects me and what the MS society are doing to stop MS. We played lots of videos from the MS Society during the breaks to raise awareness of the condition and the work being done around it.
What would your future look like if we stopped MS?
I dream of the day where I no longer have to use my walking stick and can return to full-time work. At the moment, I plan my holidays and work trips around my hospital schedule for infusions and consultant meetings. So, at the very least, I wouldn’t have to do this.
Would you recommend taking part in Game Over for MS to others?
If you have a love for gaming and want to raise some money for charity, then Game Over for MS is a good place to start. You don't have to leave your home unlike most other fundraising methods. And you love the thing you’re doing, so this’ll make it a more open and welcoming event. And you’ll see this reflected in the amount you raise.
What would you say to people who think they can’t stream?
That’s what Mart said to me 4 years ago when I told him he should try it. As long as you have a stable internet connection, there’s nothing stopping you giving it a try. You can stream directly from all of the modern consoles and all it takes is pressing "Go Live". The most important thing in a stream is you, the person doing the broadcast.
Do you have any fundraising tips for people thinking about streaming?
Network, network, network! The most important part of fundraising is footfall. The more people watching a stream, the more will come in to see what’s happening. And with more people in the stream, there’s the potential for wallets to be opened.
It’s also important to constantly engage with your viewers. Let them know who you’re fundraising for, why you’re fundraising for them, and what that money will mean to the charity you’re supporting.
