New York MS Coalition Action Network
Long Island Chapter *** New York City Chapter ***Southern New York Chapter *** Upstate New York Chapter
The National Multiple Sclerosis Society, New York MS Coalition Action Network (“NY MS CAN”) represents New York’s four National Multiple Sclerosis Society chapters and the approximately 34,000 families in New York affected by multiple sclerosis (MS). According to data analyzed by the National MS Society, New York State is one of nine states with the highest incidence of multiple sclerosis in the nation.
Multiple sclerosis interrupts the flow of information from the brain to the body and stops people from moving. Every hour in the United States, someone is newly diagnosed with MS, an unpredictable, often disabling disease of the central nervous system. Symptoms range from numbness and tingling to blindness and paralysis. The progress, severity and specific symptoms of MS in any one person cannot yet be predicted. Most people with MS are diagnosed between the ages of 20 and 50, with more than twice as many women as men diagnosed with the disease.
The New York State chapters of the National Multiple Sclerosis Society fund research into the cause and treatment of MS and affiliate with 20 MS Care Centers around the State that specialize in providing health care to individuals with MS. The chapters also provide a range of services for individuals with MS and their families, including information and referrals, support groups, education, health and wellness programs, adult day care services and access to durable medical equipment.