Latest news with #MSNZ
Otago Daily Times
7 days ago
- Otago Daily Times
Cycling Cambodia to fight MS
Three Timaruvians are set to cycle Cambodia in an effort to raise funds and awareness for multiple sclerosis (MS). In November, MS South Canterbury chairman Barry Taylor, committee member Roxanne Rooney and Ian Latham will be travelling to Cambodia as part of a team of six New Zealanders taking part in MS New Zealand's (MSNZ) first international fundraiser. Ride for MS aims to raise money to support the 5000 New Zealanders living with MS and ensure they continue to have the support they need to live their best lives. As a keen cyclist, Mr Taylor said the fundraiser was a great opportunity. "I thought it'd be a cool thing to do — go to Cambodia and raise some money for MSNZ. "I haven't really got a family connection as far as MS goes or anything but I've been involved with MS in South Canterbury for about seven years now." For Mr Latham, he said after having just arrived in Timaru he was looking to get involved with a local charitable organisation. "One of the main reasons I wanted to get involved was my brother-in-law's got MS, so that was a real catalyst for me. Then, this opportunity came along and I thought 'hmm, that's a good thing to do' and it gives me a goal to work to." Mrs Rooney said the fundraiser ticked all the boxes for her. "I'm much the same as Ian, you get to give back to the MS Society, which is really important as they help a lot of people and you also get to go on an epic adventure and get a bit of fitness in there. It was full of things I was excited about." In order to take part the trio have to pay to for their flights on top of a trip cost of $2999 each. They are then aiming to raise an additional $3000 each for MSNZ. Mr Taylor said he was fortunate to have MS South Canterbury helping fund his trip. "I would like the other organisations to do the same, to help, because some people haven't got six grand sitting in their bank, especially when you've got to raise another $3000 on top of that. "I've actually managed to already tick that off which is surprising. "I just flicked out emails to people I knew, and even some people I didn't hardly know, and some of them have donated," he said. "I also have a quiz night planned at the Sail and Anchor on October 29, so hopefully I'll be able to share some of that money with the other two if they're not quite at their target. "We want to make sure we all get there." They will be spending a week in Cambodia between November 3-10 and aside from cycling about 30km-40km per day, they will be immersing themselves in local culture, shopping, visiting temples and taking part in a various activities like a cooking class. Mr Taylor said that while the majority of what they raised would be going to MSNZ, one third would be going back to the South Canterbury region. "I heard they had been struggling to get people involved, so the money was going to be all for MSNZ but now they've decided that a good bit of what you raise comes back to your region. "So, if I just raise the three grand, a thousand will come back and it's up to me to either donate it back [to MSNZ] or donate it to something within MS here. "There's some really cool stuff happening at the moment for research and people want their money to go to the right place." Mrs Rooney said she thought it was important to be able to keep some of the funds locally. "Especially because there's such a small number going and the majority of us are from Timaru. It makes sense to help our local community, I think, rather than it going up to the big smoke. "It helps our community, our people." Registrations to take part in the fundraiser are open until the end of August and anyone wanting more information about taking part can contact MS South Canterbury. For those wishing to support Barry, Roxanne and Ian, donations can be made by visiting the leaders tab and selecting one of their individual profiles at
Scoop
11-06-2025
- Scoop
Pedal With Purpose: Ride For MS 2025 To Support New Zealanders Living With Multiple Sclerosis
Press Release – Multiple Sclerosis Society Taking place from 3 – 10 November 2025, this once-in-a-lifetime cycle through Cambodia invites Kiwis to get on their bikes and explore the rich history, culture, and beauty of Southeast Asia. Multiple Sclerosis New Zealand (MSNZ) invites you to take part in an unforgettable fundraising journey. MSNZ is proud to partner with Inspired Adventures for Ride for MS 2025, an extraordinary opportunity for New Zealanders to explore the wonders of Cambodia while raising vital funds to support people living with multiple sclerosis in Aotearoa, New Zealand. Taking place from 3 – 10 November 2025, this once-in-a-lifetime cycle through Cambodia invites Kiwis to get on their bikes and explore the rich history, culture, and beauty of Southeast Asia. However, this isn't just a cycling adventure in a beautiful location! Each participant takes part in raising funds for Multiple Sclerosis NZ, helping to drive positive change and support people living with MS across New Zealand. The money raised will help MSNZ continue its vital work in advocacy, education, and support. Participants will cycle through awe-inspiring sites like Angkor Wat, explore lush jungle trails, connect with local communities, and build lasting friendships with fellow cyclers – all united by a shared goal: a better future for people with MS. Whether you're personally affected by MS, want to support a loved one, or are simply looking for a meaningful challenge, Ride for MS 2025 is your chance to step up, speak out, and make a difference. What's more, until 30th June, you can register for only $1 – that's a saving of $389 – but places are limited so register now! Join the Adventure. Fund the Change.
Scoop
11-06-2025
- Scoop
Pedal With Purpose: Ride For MS 2025 To Support New Zealanders Living With Multiple Sclerosis
Press Release – Multiple Sclerosis Society Taking place from 3 – 10 November 2025, this once-in-a-lifetime cycle through Cambodia invites Kiwis to get on their bikes and explore the rich history, culture, and beauty of Southeast Asia. Multiple Sclerosis New Zealand (MSNZ) invites you to take part in an unforgettable fundraising journey. MSNZ is proud to partner with Inspired Adventures for Ride for MS 2025, an extraordinary opportunity for New Zealanders to explore the wonders of Cambodia while raising vital funds to support people living with multiple sclerosis in Aotearoa, New Zealand. Taking place from 3 – 10 November 2025, this once-in-a-lifetime cycle through Cambodia invites Kiwis to get on their bikes and explore the rich history, culture, and beauty of Southeast Asia. However, this isn't just a cycling adventure in a beautiful location! Each participant takes part in raising funds for Multiple Sclerosis NZ, helping to drive positive change and support people living with MS across New Zealand. The money raised will help MSNZ continue its vital work in advocacy, education, and support. Participants will cycle through awe-inspiring sites like Angkor Wat, explore lush jungle trails, connect with local communities, and build lasting friendships with fellow cyclers – all united by a shared goal: a better future for people with MS. Whether you're personally affected by MS, want to support a loved one, or are simply looking for a meaningful challenge, Ride for MS 2025 is your chance to step up, speak out, and make a difference. What's more, until 30th June, you can register for only $1 – that's a saving of $389 – but places are limited so register now! Join the Adventure. Fund the Change.
Scoop
11-06-2025
- Scoop
Pedal With Purpose: Ride For MS 2025 To Support New Zealanders Living With Multiple Sclerosis
Multiple Sclerosis New Zealand (MSNZ) invites you to take part in an unforgettable fundraising journey. MSNZ is proud to partner with Inspired Adventures for Ride for MS 2025, an extraordinary opportunity for New Zealanders to explore the wonders of Cambodia while raising vital funds to support people living with multiple sclerosis in Aotearoa, New Zealand. Taking place from 3 - 10 November 2025, this once-in-a-lifetime cycle through Cambodia invites Kiwis to get on their bikes and explore the rich history, culture, and beauty of Southeast Asia. However, this isn't just a cycling adventure in a beautiful location! Each participant takes part in raising funds for Multiple Sclerosis NZ, helping to drive positive change and support people living with MS across New Zealand. The money raised will help MSNZ continue its vital work in advocacy, education, and support. Participants will cycle through awe-inspiring sites like Angkor Wat, explore lush jungle trails, connect with local communities, and build lasting friendships with fellow cyclers - all united by a shared goal: a better future for people with MS. Whether you're personally affected by MS, want to support a loved one, or are simply looking for a meaningful challenge, Ride for MS 2025 is your chance to step up, speak out, and make a difference. What's more, until 30th June, you can register for only $1 – that's a saving of $389 – but places are limited so register now! Join the Adventure. Fund the Change.
RNZ News
03-05-2025
- Health
- RNZ News
'Milestone' multiple sclerosis treatment set to ease strain on NZ hospitals
Photo: 123RF A new treatment option for people with multiple sclerosis (MS) could alleviate resource strains on New Zealand's health system. Medsafe has registered Ocrevus Subcutaneous, a 10-minute injection for relapsing and primary progressive MS. It offers the same proven efficacy as the current intravenous infusion method which patients receive between every six weeks to six months, and can take anywhere from a few hours to much of a day. President of MS Taranaki and vice-president of Multiple Sclerosis New Zealand (MSNZ), Graham Walker, said it was going to lead to better outcomes for people with MS. "It'll free up resources in the health system," he said. "I get an infusion of this product, I get it every six months, I go into the day ward at the New Plymouth hospital. They have sped it up, but I used to get in at about half-past-eight and I was still there until about 5pm, it was all day. "I'd have a space in their day ward and there's a whole lot of nurses running around looking after me checking to see if everything is okay. But with this new subcutaneous job, they give it to you in 10-15 minutes and it doesn't take all those resources," Walker said. The 67-year-old former competitive cyclist was diagnosed with Primary Progressive MS in 2013 and was one of the first people in New Zealand to receive treatment for the disease. He said time and the availability of infusion chairs at hospitals has been one of the greatest challenges for patients. "In Christchurch for instance I have a friend of mine who waited almost 12 months before he could get an infusion because there was no space in the day ward and no staff available to give him the infusion. "So this is really really important for multiple sclerosis," he said. Dr Kerryn Symons, country medical director at Roche NZ, said multiple sclerosis was a chronic, lifelong condition that progressively got worse during your lifetime. "It's caused by inflammation in the body and that inflammation attacks the insulation around the nerves. "So if you think of nerves as being like electrical wires, electrical wires have insulation around them in the human body that is called myelin and in multiple sclerosis, the myelin is broken down so that the electrical signals don't get through as well as they should. "What Oprevus does is it reduces the inflammation so that the damage to the nerves is slowed down and the people's signs and symptoms are slowed down and the progression of the disease is halted." Amanda Rose, national manager of MSNZ, said about 5000 people in New Zealand had been diagnosed with MS, but only 3000 were receiving treatment. "The average age of diagnosis is around 38 in New Zealand, and symptoms can range from fatigue and muscle weakness, difficulties with mobility, pain in particular, and as a progressive condition is untreated and unmanaged, those symptoms can get significantly worse over time. "New Zealand has a fairly high influence and at the lowest south that you go in New Zealand, you've got a higher incidence of MS than further north. It's still very much unknown around what the causes are of MS. "I think that's a significant milestone that could be achieved and we'll give a lot of time back to supporting other health conditions as well and other patients. "What a 10-minute treatment would obviously do is give people back time to get on with their lives. "It means that they don't have to take significant time away from work, they don't necessarily have to travel long distances in order to access their treatment, and so it removes a lot of those barriers." Symons said the arrival of the Ocrevus Subcutaneous injection would also be beneficial for patients dealing with other illnesses. It's estimated it will free up more than 1300 days of equivalent hospital infusion time in New Zealand annually. "This version of the medicine really offers a lot greater flexibility for people with MS and their healthcare professionals to reduce the amount of time that they take travelling to hospital and spending in hospital," she said. "The impact on the healthcare system is quite significant. We've estimated that it could save up to 1300 days worth of infusion chair time every year. "Those infusion chairs could be used by other people with, for example, cancers or other disorders that require intravenous infusions. "We think that this is great for the healthcare system, great for patients with multiple sclerosis and great for the economy." She said the Ocrevus Subcutaneous injection was submitted to Pharmac back in August last year, with the Pharmac Clinical Advisory Committee giving Ocrevus Subcutaneous a high priority recommendation.
