Increasing MS Awareness

St Valentine’s Day

2007-02-14T02:44:00.000-08:00

Valentine’s Day is a very well celebrated event in India, with 80% of the world’s roses sent Valentine’s day coming from Bangalore.

Happy Valentine’s Day to all our partners from the UK Team, and just to let you know, we don’t plan on bringing our own roses back with us!

Our last day’s training and the whole team is feeling quite sad that we will leave so many of the wonderful people we have met, behind. In some ways, the time seems to have passed so quickly, but in others, it seems ages since we left the UK. Despite many of the team members not knowing each other beforehand we have really gelled as a team and could definitely recommend India for an MS Society teambuilding awayday! All team members have contributed a lot and have truly worked in a multidisciplinary way, supporting each other in sometimes challenging situations. We have all learnt a lot from this experience and are keen to implement what we have learnt, back in the UK. In the words of Eli, “one cannot play cricket on one’s own”.

One of the saddest consequences of MS and disability in India is that once people are unable to walk, many places are out of reach for them. Disabled access to buildings and public places is virtually non–existent, especially in the less affluent areas and outside the major cities. Since we have been here none of us have seen a person using a wheelchair (outside of the training days) and from what we have learnt, many people become “homebound” as mobility decreases. Even people with minor mobility problems are disabled by their environment. We have also learnt that nursing at home, one of the major success stories in the UK, is seen as menial and not something that the vast majority of nurses in India want to do. Therefore, the person with MS has a double burden of not being able to get out, and also having very limited (if any) access to care.

The MSSI is addressing these issues by employing nurses and counsellors to visit people at home. Currently seven MS nurses are working in India, but many, many more are needed. They are also campaigning to the government to get better access for people with disabilities and have a number of programmes to improve the lives of people with MS and their families.

The last day’s training was again a sell out and our programme was complemented by a session on rehabilitation, presented by Dr Singh and Dr Handa. The day finished on a happy note with a session on laughter therapy from Mrs Neelam Wadera and her team.

We are up at 8am tomorrow for our flight back to the UK. We hope you enjoy reading about our travels in India – please do feel free to leave us your comments.

Full House!

2007-02-13T02:41:00.000-08:00

After a sleepless night, due to the loudest thunder storms any of us had ever experienced, we met in the morning to talk about the final two days' programme and to discuss our personal highs (and lows) of the trip.

All of us felt that there was huge interest about what we were doing and a thirst for knowledge amongst the MS population in India. We felt we had only just scratched the surface and there was much more work to be done. This was borne out when we arrived at the training venue in Delhi and people were being turned away from the day, as there wasn’t even standing room available in the venue.
The audience was comprised of many physiotherapists, but also nurses and some people with MS. There was the usual number of questions and people were keen to find out more, particularly around physiotherapy techniques used in the UK. Another recurring theme was the long-term use of steroids in relapsing remitting MS.

The training finished at 7pm and we went back to the hotel to pack, as tomorrow we are training from 9am, through to 6:30pm, finishing with a kind invitation to join the MSSI Delhi Chapter and Mrs Sheela Chitnis for a farewell dinner in the evening.

"A drop of tear on the cheek of history" *

2007-02-12T02:27:00.000-08:00

Today was the day that we off to Agra to visit the magnificent Taj Mahal. With full training programmes planned for the next two days this was our last opportunity to see a bit more of India.

We were collected from the hotel lobby at 5:30am and driven towards New Delhi train station. However, our plan was thwarted by early gridlock and we had to cover the last few 100m by foot, weaving through an assortment of hooting drivers, people, animals and numerous other obstacles. The train station was a heaving mass and Alison will never complain about the crowds at London Bridge ever again! Our train pulled in on time and we clambered into a coach with more legroom than we had ever experienced, as we were lucky enough to get seats in the “executive” coach. AS we pulled out of the station for our 2 hour journey we were firstly given a bottle of water each, followed by a bone china cup of tea, followed by cornflakes and hot milk, followed by some curry and bread and marmalade. More tea and bananas were on hand in case we were still hungry after our feast. Apart from the food the other highlight was the sighting of our first elephant, out of the train window!

We were met off the train by a guide who drove us to the Taj Mahal. All of us had seen pictures of the Taj Mahal but none of us were prepared for the awesome sight of it, as we walked through the entrance gate. We spent a couple of hours walking around, taking photos and soaking up the atmosphere. Our guide explained about the Mogul empire and the history of the tomb. The marble carving was unbelievable and inlaid with intricate precious stones. Eventually we had to leave to carry on with our trip, but all of us were very sorry to leave such a beautiful monument.

Next, our guide took us to the Red Fort, from which we could see the Taj in the distance. He told us about the emperor and his harem, including his three wives, a Hindu, a Muslim and a Christian. On the way out we saw a giant, 30ft diameter, 5’6” deep bathtub, honed out of one single piece of rock, with steps inside and out to get in. Apparently this was portable, although no one is quite sure how many elephants it took to move it!

After lunch, we were taken to some local craft markets, where we all managed to part with a large number of Rupees! Laden with Indian handicrafts we then went to visit what is known as the “Baby Taj”, which provided inspiration for the full Taj Mahal. Like the Taj Mahal the walls were encrusted with semi precious stones but the precious jewels, such as rubies and emeralds had been taken. We realised the numerous monkeys had very good taste as they were living quite happily in these majestic settings! Seeing eagles, parrots and other exotic animals added to our enjoyment of the day. And the guide likened us to small children, for our enthusiasm for everything we saw.

We caught the train back, by the skin of our teeth and settled down in our reclining seats for a full three course curry dinner. We finally got back to the hotel at 11:30pm and toasted a superb day with a cold Indian beer.

(* Quote by the poet Tagore, a Nobel laureate)

The Last Leg

2007-02-11T23:00:00.000-08:00

Unusually it was very cold wet and stormy in Delhi (not unlike the English weather we had been so delighted to leave behind!). After a quick freshen up we set off in a minibus to experience the true flavours of Delhi. We were dropped off in the old part of Delhi – it was extremely busy with many market stalls, traders, and small street vendors. We had a quick look around a fort in the city, similar to the Red Fort in Agra, before driving back to the hotel, in time for the evening programme.

The evening programme had been arranged by the MSSI Delhi branch and we arrived to TV cameras and a flurry of activity. After a quick interview Eli took the floor and spoke about the pathology of MS and treatments, including a section on possible future therapies. Dr Madhuri Behari, professor and head of neurology at the All India Institute of Medical Science, New Delhi then spoke about the prevalence of MS in ethnic communities and the different presentations of MS that have been documented. We have learnt that the prevalence of MS varies even between different Indian communities, such as Parsis and Hindis.

Dr Mendiratta, professor of neurology at GB Pant Hospital in Delhi, spoke about treatments in MS and it was apparent that availability of beta interferons was extremely limited and treatments used included mitoxantrone, azathioprine and a number of drugs used for epilepsy. We finished the evening with dinner with the MSSI Delhi and the delegates.

Leaving Hyderabad

2007-02-11T02:15:00.000-08:00

We were very sorry to leave Hyderabad and Meena and Renu had come to the Hotel at 6:45 in the morning to wave us off to the airport, to fly to Delhi. Our flight was delayed and we arrived at 11:45pm to be met by the Delhi Chapter with flowers to welcome us.

Training and Powercuts and Chipmunks, Oh My!

2007-02-10T02:07:00.000-08:00

A full day’s training lay ahead of the team today and we set off to our venue at 8am. The morning sessions were for Healthcare professionals and around 120 people attended. The morning followed along similar lines to previous ones. We were however saddened to hear that the Chair of the Hyderabad chapter’s, Meena Gupta’s father in law had died that morning. But she still insisted on attending our training as she didn’t want to let us down. The dedication of the members of the MS Society here in India has been humbling. They are all volunteers, without an office and simply work out of their homes. Their dream would be to have an office which they could work from and which with MS could visit.

Eli gave his first talk of the tour, which went really well and Jane gave a very lively presentation on seating and stretching. Not even a power cut mid way through could put her off her stride!

After lunch, we travelled to a local government hospital where at least 60 people with MS had gathered for a Q & A session with the team. We were also joined by a local neurologist Dr Meena, who had to translate some of the questions as some of the delegates found English difficult to follow. The room was very small and was absolutely packed. However, one slight distraction in proceedings, was when a chipmunk appeared through a hole in the ceiling!
Virtually all of the attendees had questions and they ranged from very specific questions about their own diagnoses and treatment to general questions about pregnancy. Many people had brought their medical records and scan results and were asking for advice. We all found it interesting but very difficult emotionally, and we all came away wanting to do more to help and wishing we had a longer to talk to people.

We left the hotel at 7pm to travel to the Taj Hotel for an evening lecture with local neurologists from Hyderabad. Caron opened the evening and thanked the Hyderabad chapter for their very warm welcome and presented them with a presentation plate. Meena Gupta, Chair of the chapter, spoke about the work of the Hyderabad branch of the Society, which was actually only inaugurated 18 months ago. We all felt they had achieved a phenomenal amount in this short time and we very impressed with the dedication of the volunteers. Eli then gave a lecture summarising recent developments in MS and future potential therapies. Afterwards, we enjoyed an excellent meal with the chapter and local neurologists and health professionals.

Hooray for Bollywood

2007-02-09T02:04:00.000-08:00

At long last a day off! A fantastic day of sightseeing was arranged for us by the Hyderabad chapter, who couldn’t have been nicer or more helpful. We set off at 9am for a visit to Film City.

The film industry is huge in India and they are suitably proud of the number and quality of Bollywood films they produce each year. Film City was truly amazing and consisted of a variety of film sets that we used in various movie productions. These film sets ranged from the bizarre to the beautiful, the surreal to the authentic and our guide was very proud to tell us that nothing was real and everything was made of plaster of Paris. Time for another group photo outside an artificial hospital, before yet another wonderful Indian curry buffet lunch.

After lunch it was time for some more cultural input, after the frivolity of the morning. We visited Muslim tombs and a wonderful fort where, as the sunset, we watched a light show which illuminated the fort whilst we listened to the history of the Mogul empire. Wearily we arrived back at our hotel for dinner before turning in for the night.

Sleepless in Hyderabad

2007-02-08T01:58:00.000-08:00

The short flight to Hyderabad was uneventful and we landed just after 7am. We were met by the Chair of the MSSI Hyderabad chapter and taken outside to wait for our transport. The noise outside the airport was deafening. We had become quite used to the constant beeping of horns that Indian drivers do continuously but the hooting of horns outside the airport was exceptional even by those standards! Fortunately our hotel wasn’t too far away and the team were all harbouring thoughts of returning to their beds for a few extra hours sleep. However, the combination of rooms not being ready at that time of the morning and a kindly arranged sightseeing trip by the Chapter thwarted this!

Dr Eli Silber had now joined the team for the last week's training. As he had arrived at 4am in the morning we thought he might not appreciate a wake up call to go sightseeing! The first port of call was at the Salagen museum. This holds the largest individual collection of antiques in the whole if India. We saw beautiful jewels, paintings and carvings. Leaving the museum we went to the Fishgate Arch at the centre of Hyderabad, similar to London’s Marble Arch. We spent some time wandering around this area but at times found the hustle and bustle slightly overwhelming. However, the busy bangle market gave Denise the chance to show off her new found bartering skills! We also visited a beautiful palace were preparations were underway for a grand wedding ceremony. It was then time to return to our hotel to freshen up for an evening talk, that we had been requested to give to a group of nurses about the value of nursing people in their own homes.

We had been told that there was a huge resistance to take up this kind of work. Instead the nurses want to work in areas that were perceived as glamorous, such as intensive care, which many of them believe would enable them to get jobs in the West. Arriving at the venue we found over 200 nurses sitting in the auditorium. We were told they were all student nurses and that the females were referred to as “sisters” and the male nurses were referred to as “brothers”. The three nurses in the team (Caron, Carrie and Adrienne) gave talks on the value of looking after patients in their own homes and current UK policy and initiatives around moving nurses from the acute sector into primary care. The lectures were very well received, but the young nurses were shy and reluctant to ask questions. The seminar finished in the early evening and we headed back to our hotel for an evening meal – another delicious curry.

Training in Bangalore

2007-02-07T09:53:00.000-08:00

The day began at 7am with cars to take us to our day of training in Bangalore. The team was slightly anxious about the day’s training which lay ahead. Firstly, because of the civil unrest and the subsequence confinement to our hotel we had little interaction with the MSSI except for numerous phone calls for Dr Coles. Secondly, it was the first day that we were doing joint training for both healthcare professionals and people affected by MS, and we were unsure of the levels of knowledge and expectations. Thirdly, we had not had confirmation of our proposed programme that we had sent the Bangalore chapter. We were collected by old fashioned white cars and taken to our venue at a Bangalore centre for Catholic education. We helped prepare the room and put the banners up. Nearly a 100 people attended, a real mixture of doctors, nurses, physiotherapists, and people with MS. The Kanartaka MS Society Chapter made us feel so welcome and we were introduced to the audience and presented with sandalwood garlands to wear around our necks.

Before coffee, Caron and Alison once again covered the UK MS Society and research, then we had a tea break of sweet milky tea and biscuits and had the chance to talk to some of the delegates, some of whom had very little knowledge of English. After tea, Dr Coles took the stage to give a talk on MS - what it is and how people can help manage it. He also left a lot of time for questions, which after initial hesitations was very welcomed. We felt that it was a difficult situation for people affected by MS and it appeared to be intimidating for people to ask questions in front of the medical professionals. Especially as in some cases the person’s healthcare professionals were sitting in the audience, alongside them. The topics covered in questions were genetics, the cause of MS, new treatments, stem cells, pregnancy and different manifestations of MS. All very similar questions to topics raised at similar talks in the UK. Sessions presented in the afternoon were management of tone and seating, bladder problems, cognition and fatigue.

A group Q&A session followed and ended with the Chair requesting us each to highlight one key message that we felt was important and relevant to MS in India. This was an interesting opportunity. One of the main themes which arose was that people, both healthcare professionals and people affected by MS, should work in partnership with the MSSI. As in the UK, the Indian MS Society is always trying to reach people who have been diagnosed to offer help and support and rectify a lack of awareness of its existence and the support it can offer. The Internet is readily available in India and another theme was the importance of evidence based research and information, as yet again we had been asked about bee sting therapy!

Following a brief but hectic half hour shopping in Bangalore experience we returned to our hotel to get ready for our evening meal with the MSSI. This was at a local country club and we were treated to a fantastic meal and sat outside in the evening heat talking about the snow at home! It was where many friendships were consolidated and we were very sad at the end of the evening to be leaving Bangalore after such a brief visit. Returning to our hotel, we all set our alarm clocks to be up at 3am the next day for our flight to Hyderabad and another training day…

Sightseeing

2007-02-06T04:52:00.000-08:00

This was our first rest day and we were relieved to find we could do some sightseeing! We were restricted to only some safe areas and we were escorted by a guide arranged by the Bangalore chapter. We visited a couple of fantastic temples, some we were unable to take pictures of, as there was high security due to fears of terrorism. On retiring to our hotel, we passed several groups of police and were again advised not to go out that evening.

Arrival in Bangalore

2007-02-05T04:46:00.000-08:00

We arrived at the airport to meet Sheela who was joining us on a business trip to the Chapter at Bangalore. We were met by members of the chapter who organised transport to our hotel. We arrived at the hotel at 2pm, when we were concerned to find there had been an adverse judgement in respect of the Chauvery water dispute which had been going on for 17 years. We were unable to leave the hotel as they were expecting riots. The welcome evening meal that we were supposed to attend with members of the chapter was cancelled

Professionals training day

2007-02-04T04:41:00.000-08:00

We left the hotel at 7am, to travel back to the hospital for the professionals training day. We met Dr Kahdikar, the medical director of the MSSI, who chaired the morning session. At 7:45 Jane and Denise were rewriting their presentations as they had been asked to make it very practical, not easy wearing skirts! Alasdair Coles, made it very interactive, asking about the Indian experience in comparison to our own in the UK. We found out that MRI scans were only $50 but there were concerns about the MS Society India being asked to pay for regular, repeat MRIs. As disease modifying therapies are not regularly available, it was felt it would be very exciting to collaborate in researching the effectiveness of cheaper alternatives. Mitoxantrone as a first line treatment is not standard practice in the UK, and this is only given for significant aggressive disease. However, in India this is given as a first line treatment. This could offer the opportunity to collect valuable data on early mitoxantrone treatment in all types of MS, which is simply not possible in the UK. Similarly another approach that the Indians are taking is to give intermittent pulses of high dose steroids to prevent disease progression. This to, offers the opportunity to capture valuable data.

Caron’s presentation was very much a comparison between the UK and MSSI aims and objectives which are very similar but with far fewer resources at the MSSI. A key message for the professionals in India to take away was how important it is for them to work with the MSSI. Anita did two presentations, one on emotional aspects of MS and the other on cognition. Unfortunately the second session had to be curtailed due to shortage of time and the large number of questions asked. Talking over lunch, a number of professionals expressed how difficult it is to gauge depression in their patients as it is something that is not addressed.

There was a large demand for us to send information on assessments and treatment guides from the UK to India. We hadn’t realised how transferable our resources could be. Denise’s presentation on fatigue highlighted some of the cultural differences (they all ate breakfast!). It was very interactive and obviously as important and common as symptom in India, as it is in the UK. Jane and Denise’s presentation consisted of practical demonstrations of positioning people in chairs, the importance of posture and the use of facilitation techniques to improve gait and muscle function. They were already using some techniques but there was some they were unaware of. They were keen for us to send them further information, in particular on Lycra splinting.

Adrienne’s bladder management talk was as popular as before, with the professionals bringing up the same issues as the people with MS the previous day. A presentation plate was given to the Mumbai chapter from the team at the send of this session. We were delighted to receive locally made bags, while Alasdair received a tie. We helped tidy up and then travelled to the Cricket Club of India to meet the Patron of the MS Society India. Alasdair was very disappointed not to be able to bowl out Tendulkar, or even wield a bat! We returned to our hotel at 11:30pm to pack as we were leaving for the airport at 7am the next morning.

On with the show

2007-02-03T05:56:00.000-08:00

Meeting for breakfast at 8am, we were intrigued to discover the extent of the breakfast buffet, ranging from curry to doughnuts. And some people (no names, obviously!) tried them both. We were then collected and headed off to the Holy Family Hospital (1.5 hours away) for our first day of training with people affected by MS. We didn’t know what to expect or what level of knowledge people would have or even the level of disability they would be experiencing. In fact the people with MS who attended were extremely well educated with at least 4 GPs in the audience and with little or no disability, which led us to believe they were not a representative sample of the MS population in India. It was very formal but lovely as we lighted a candle on a flowered covered table to welcome us. We suspected that people with moderate and severe disability were simply unable to travel to the venue.

Everybody’s talk went well, with lots of questions. Caron started off talking about the UK MS Society and how we provide support and help for people with MS in the UK. Alison followed, talking about research happening in the UK and the Society’s commitment to evidence-based research. Alasdair Coles was next, but soon had to abandon his presentation on “What is MS?” to answer a barrage of questions, particularly around stem cells and drug therapy. There was an intense thirst for knowledge in the room and a sense of frustration that drug modifying therapies are outside the reach of all but the very rich (£1,000 a month). In India there is a heavy reliance on spiritual and religious practices, such as yoga. The main drug therapy used is mitoxantrone, a very cheap and easily available drug. session. Following a delicious typical Indian lunch, we ran workshops on bladder function, mobility and posture, and cognitive problems. All delegates had the opportunity to attend each workshop. Perhaps the most obvious response was to the session on bladder problems. This was found to be as hidden a topic in India as it is in the UK, but Adrienne highlighted that there are things people can do to help themselves without drug therapy, and one delegate commented, “thank you very much, that will change my life”.

A Q&A session was held at the end of the day with all of us on the Panel. The questions ranged from the highly informed to the slightly bizarre. As in the UK people wanted to know about drug therapy, and practical issues around mobility and limb splinting. One question focused on whether people with MS should go out in public places, where they could risk sensory overload. Anita was happy to reassure them that social interaction was a good idea! The training session came to an end with thanks and applause all around.

We had been warned there wasn’t time to go back to our hotel before the evening session, and the MSSI kindly arranged for an hour’s shopping experience with a couple of volunteers (with superior haggling skills!). Alasdair’s face fell as he realised he was about to go shopping with a group of nine women!

Shopping finished, we were taken to the home of the MSSI treasurer, Dilip Modi’s, where we met his wife Dipkita, who has MS. We were offered refreshments and then had 40 minutes and two bathrooms to get eight weary travellers looking like a million dollars (or rather a million rupees!), before we set off to the important dinner lecture hosted by the Bombay Neurosciences Association. This event was attended by over 150 neurologists, the biggest turnout they have ever had.

Alasdair spoke on ”Recent advances in the understanding and management of multiple sclerosis” and Anita talked on “Emotional aspects of MS”. Dr Wadia, the eminent neurologist chairing the session commented that ”It was so important for neurologists to acknowledge the impact of MS on psychological wellbeing.” At midnight, the weary team made their way back to the hotel for a 6am start for more training the next day.

Arrival in India

2007-02-02T22:53:00.000-08:00

Our first few days in India have been the most rewarding, interesting, productive and tiring of any that we have experienced before! We set off on Thursday, full of excitement and vigour, but this was quickly countered by the huge queues and security processes at Heathrow, leaving no time for that relaxed sit down farewell meal we had envisaged. Instead, no sooner had we cleared security than we had to board our flight. We flew with Jet Air and we liked them from the start, as they turned a blind eye to our copious amounts of luggage! Caron and Alison had been worrying all week about how to slip 70-T shirts, 500 badges, 28 posters, 4 salvers, 250 CDs and other vital pieces of training equipment into our suitcases!

After bluffing our way through customs, we stepped out into the bright Indian sunlight and throng of colourful people. We were met by one of the three MS Society Mumbai employees; Geeta, a social worker. She showed us to the minibus that was going to take us to the hotel. It was our first experience of little children begging for food and money and it was emotionally difficult for us to deal with.

Arriving at our hotel one and half hours later (after a traffic experience not to be forgotten!) we were told we had half an hour before our tour guide arrived to show us around Mumbai for a couple of hours. Tired, but suitably excited we set off, conspicuously dressed in our MSS T shirts and red baseball caps kindly donated by the MSSI. The tour was fascinating with many highlights. Two of the places that struck us the most were completely contrasting. The first was a Jain temple where a family celebration was going on. After removing our shoes, we went into the temple and the joy of the music, dancing and the heavy smell of incense was a heady combination. The other was an open air laundry – people working in dreadful conditions washing clothes by hand – row upon row upon row of clothes hanging on washing lines, whilst at the same time thick smoke bellowed across the site.

Arriving back at our hotel we enjoyed a delicious buffet Indian meal before turning in for the night, exhausted.

Meet the team

2007-01-16T08:17:00.000-08:00

From left to right: Alison Handford, Denise Middleton, Carrie Brown, Caron Furnival and Alasdair Coles

The beginning!

2007-01-15T03:48:00.001-08:00

There has already been a huge amount of work happening to get this trip off the ground and the whole team are really excited that the trip is nearly here. It really has been a partnership between MS Society staff from different departments, MS specialists from centres across the UK and Healthcare at Home, working closely together to plan and support the trip. However the support and preparation from the MS Society of India has been amazing. Their enthusiasm has been infectious and they appear to be putting together daunting, but exciting programmes – of training and sharing information about how MS is managed in India.

The team have met twice so far to plan the agendas for the training days, both for people affected by MS and their families, and for healthcare professionals. All of the team members are putting together training materials to leave behind and the Society’s publications in a number of Indian languages have already been sent to our colleagues at the MS Society of India.
In the next few days the Team hope to finalise the training sessions and get the final details of the programme in India, as well as the all-important malaria tablets!

Charities join forces to improve multiple sclerosis awareness in India

2007-01-15T02:49:00.000-08:00

A UNIQUE educational trip to India organised by the UK’s Multiple Sclerosis (MS) Society in conjunction with the MS Society India will see leading neurologists, MS specialist therapists and nurses share their knowledge with health care professionals in the country.

The near 50,000 people affected by MS in India have little access to information about their condition, limited access to specialist health care professionals and a lack of symptom management knowledge. It is hoped the sharing of information on UK research, care and treatment will be beneficial.

From 1 February, the team of nine will spend 15 days with the MS Society India visiting Mumbai, Bangalore, Hydrabad and Delhi to promote greater international understanding between British and Indian communities.

The team will take part in educational activities and promote self management, rehabilitation and the multi-disciplinary approach as a method of managing MS.

Consultant Neurologists Alasdair Coles from Addenbrookes Hospital in Cambridge and Eli Silber from King’s College London will join Clinical Psychologist Anita Rose from The Walton Centre - the UK’s only neuroscience NHS Trust, based in Liverpool.

Denise Middleton, MS Occupational Therapist will be accompanied by Adrienne Cox, MS Specialist Nurse and Carrie Brown, MS Lead Nurse for Healthcare at Home.

From the MS Society, Jane Petty, National Physiotherapy Lead, Alison Handford, Research Manager and Caron Furnival, Head of Service Development will offer their expertise.

Caron said: “India is way behind the UK in terms of access to services and education. There are only 4,000 known cases of MS in India but it is estimated that there are probably between 40,000 and 50,000 people affected by the condition.

“We want to dispel some of the stigmas attached to having a long-term neurological condition and promote better care for people with the disease and the fact that the condition can be proactively managed.”

In each of the locations, educational workshops and study days will be held, aimed at health care professionals.

There will also be ‘Living with MS’ days for people with MS, their families and carers, focusing on dealing with symptoms such as spasticity, fatigue and psychological support.

Caron added: “We also want to gain a better understanding of how the MS Society could reach out to the Asian community in the UK.”

Trip sponsor Healthcare at Home provides homecare to over 40,000 patients in the UK.

Lead MS Nurse Carrie Brown said: “I hope this event will demonstrate our continuing commitment to the MS Society and the work they undertake to support patients living with MS. I also hope the visit will enable the sharing and learning of best practice and will in turn lead to us continuing to improve the treatment and care of patients living with MS across the world.”