My experience at the ECTRIMS Patient Community Day
Each year, the ECTRIMS Patient Community Day gives people with MS the opportunity to hear directly from experts in the field online or in person. Scott Runacres, who lives with MS, shares his experience of attending the event in Barcelona.
Keeping an eye on MS research
I’m a bit of a geek and I like to keep my eye on what’s going on in MS research. So when I heard about the Patient Community Day, I thought it’d be the perfect opportunity to tick Barcelona off my bucket list and get up to speed on the latest MS research news.
This was my first time going along to an event like this and I felt excited and nervous at the same time. I was especially looking forward to hearing about the new medications and treatments and to learn about new areas of research.
Hearing from experts in MS
Throughout the day, researchers shared the latest news from the ECTRIMS research conference, which had taken place earlier in the week.
It was fantastic to hear directly from the scientists about the work they’re doing. How often do you get a chance to see so many MS experts in one room and ask them your questions?! They covered a huge variety of topics, from diagnosis and MS treatments through to artificial intelligence.
I was particularly interested in hearing about remyelination and the potential benefits it might bring in the near future. All of the research was presented in a very informative and easy to understand way.
Shared experiences
Outside of the research content, the event was also a great opportunity to network. I spent a lot of the day talking to other people with MS. I was diagnosed with MS 14 years ago, but I haven’t really taken part in any local groups. So I enjoyed the opportunity to meet people other people affected by the condition.
I spoke to a lot of people, both medical professionals and fellow patients. It was very reassuring to remind myself that there is a much bigger community of patients than I knew of, and I’m looking to get more involved with the many charities and organisations mentioned.
Reflecting on the event
While I wish I didn’t have to be as interested as I am, I’m extremely glad I took a few days to visit Barcelona. The event was really well organised and informative and I left with an increased optimism for the future.
Barcelona itself is beautiful too. I enjoyed having a few days of sun and a break from the cold autumn mornings. This has definitely reignited my desire to travel. When I first heard about ECTRIMS I didn’t have to spend long thinking about attending in person. I’m already trying to convince my wife to attend the joint event in Toronto with me next year!
You can watch a recording of the event on the ECTRIMS Patient Community Day website.
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