Challenging false myths and prejudices for teenagers with MS

Inspired by the words of young people with MS

The Atlas of MS shows that there are currently 8,500 people under the age of 18 living with MS in Italy. To address the needs of this group, for a number of years, AISM has run a youth group and conference for young people with MS. AISM’s Instagram series was inspired by the words of young people who took part in the conferences, where they spoke about the impact of their MS on everyday life and how they manage it. Marcello Petruzzi, on behalf of the creative team of Housatonic who managed the development of the project, said:

‘It was important and inspiring to listen to the testimonies of young people who are experiencing the disease. Their experiences have been the basis of all the work that has been carried out, thanks to AISM.’ (Marcello Petruzzi, Housatonic)

More than MS

The five #SonoMoltoAltro animated clips portray authentic journeys into the often invisible aspects of MS.  They express what teenagers want others to know about their MS. Each video highlights how essential it is for a young person with MS to know that others have a certain level of understanding about MS and can see that they are much more than their disease. The clip entitled ‘I don’t need to feel pitied, but understood’ explores this exact idea, highlighting the significant difference between ‘understanding’ and ‘pitying’.

Each episode of the series shows that just because someone has MS, it does not mean they have become their MS. They are much more than this and they don’t want others to treat them differently because of their disease. This message is particularly prominent in the clip entitled ‘Even if I have MS I want to live my life.’

With World Children’s Day marked on 20 November, the Italian series is one of a number of young people and MS resources that have recently been added to MSIF’s MS Resource Hub. The hub currently houses a wide range of resources on this topic, from video illustrations for children, to information booklets for parents, and resources for teenagers such as this one. You can explore the collection of pediatric resources from across the MSIF movement here.

Sharing resources globally through the resource hub

The MS Resource Hub is an international library hosting free written, video and graphic resources covering a wide range of MS topics. The hub aims to strengthen collaboration and sharing across the global MS movement, by making information materials freely available to MS organisations, people affected by MS, clinicians and others.

The #SonoMoltoAltro series is a fantastic example of a resource that could be used globally, as each animated graphic tells its story through clear and simple visuals, with limited amounts of text. The series could be re-purposed for use around the world, with just a little translation. If you’re from an MS organisation and are interested in adding subtitles to AISM’s animated graphics so  that you can use them in your own country, get in touch.