Black people living with multiple sclerosis (MS) encounter unique stressors and challenges. This weekend, the National Multiple Sclerosis Society (NMSS) invites all to attend the Black MS Experience Wellness Program. The event that brings together Black people with MS for a day of connection, education and awareness.

Nearly 1 million people in the United States are living with MS, according to the NMSS. Although MS had long been thought to be most prevalent among white people of Northern European descent, recent research shows that the condition affects more Black people than previously thought. Some attribute this misconception to the lack of Black people in MS research and clinical trials.

The in-person event is hosted in partnership with the University of Chicago (UC) on its campus and is led by Veronica Cipriani, MD, a neuroimmunologist specializing in the treatment of MS and other demyelinating neurologic diseases. The event, which kicks off Saturday, September 16, consists of physician-led MS education, panel discussions, resource sharing and a yoga session.

The ongoing Black MS Experience Program series gives Black people living with MS a space to build connections with others sharing similar experiences. The series also provides participants with the opportunity to discuss issues with leading MS health care experts.

Content from past events about coping with MS, leading a healthy lifestyle and more is available online, including discussions led by New York Times bestselling author Fredrick Joseph as well as Mitzi Joi Williams, MD, the medical director of the Joi Life Wellness Group.

To register, click here.

To read more, click #Multiple Sclerosis. There, you’ll find headlines such as “Multiple Sclerosis Rates Nearly Equal in Black and White People,” “Black Patients With Multiple Sclerosis Have Worse Disease” and “Links Found Between Viruses and Neurodegenerative Diseases.”