As we close the year, we want to thank you, our members, donors, and supporters, for standing with Multiple Sclerosis NZ through another year of progress, advocacy and growing impact. Together, we have secured tangible advocacy wins, expanded education and awareness, strengthened our network of dedicated MS organisations, and continued to future-proof the organisation in a challenging funding environment.
Advocacy That Delivers Real Change
Advocacy was a standout area of impact this year. MS had excellent visibility in the media this year predominantly linked to our advocacy initiatives. Advocacy is a hard fought and often long journey.
Our profile and mission were elevated through direct engagement with the Minister of Health and introductions and meetings with key personnel within Te Whatu Ora, ensuring the MS voice was heard at the highest levels. Having built connections this year, we are even more driven to advocate for service excellence for all people impacted by MS across Aotearoa and are excited to continue along this pathway.
A major win was the approval of subcutaneous Ocrelizumab funding from 1 December, reducing treatment barriers for people with MS and easing pressure on the health system. We look forward to hearing the real-life impact of this major turning point in MS treatments. We are still working hard to advocate for several other disease modifying therapies to ensure that New Zealanders get access to the best available medicines to reduce the impacts of the condition, allowing people to get on with life.
At Multiple Sclerosis NZ, we endeavour to put the impact of the MS community at the forefront of our work. As proven multiple times this year, your voice has an impact so please keep engaging in consultations to have your needs heard. This was exemplified by the Disability Support Services consultation. An 1800 strong voice stood strong and called on the government to make system of support which acknowledges individual needs and the need for flexible funding. We were proud to be collectively contributing to this message, highlighting the MS community needs based on feedback received. We look forward to the changes coming in 2026 which will reinstate flexible funding.
Earlier this year we announced the outcomes of research taking place at the University of Auckland’s Compass Campus. The research identified a 67% increase in people diagnosed with MS and living in NZ since 2006. Thanks to funding from the New Zealand Multiple Sclerosis Research Trust, we have furthered this work with researcher Natalia Boven, to further understand geographical changes and variances in accessing health and disability services. We look forward to being able to share more about this work and the insights learnt in 2026. This work is foundational to providing data and evidence we need in our discussions with key agencies around service limitations and inequities.
Partnerships with alliance groups, community advocates and clinical leaders continues to be at the forefront of our advocacy strategy. 2025 has seen us strengthen the credibility and reach of our work and collective messaging, important for organisations like ours working in what can often be a challenging and crowded environment.
We thank everyone who engaged with our advocacy this year, attending online meetings, sharing personal stories or making their own submissions. Your voice matters so make it count.
Expanding Information, Education and Awareness
Our new website, launched in September, has provided us with a much-improved platform to deliver the latest information about living with and managing MS, allowing us an opportunity to review all our information and pathways for access. As the world of MS continues to change, with research continually advancing our knowledge, the website will continue to grow and enhance.
Our Living Well with MS resource packs continue to be well utilised. In 2025 we distributed in excess of 500 more packs into the community, to member organisations, individuals and hospital teams. Alongside our newly launched Information Sheets we endeavour to ensure that the information is accessible and helpful, always welcoming feedback.
Our September MS Awareness Week was delivered under the theme Time Matters in MS. Our digital engagement was well received with over 15 million views on social media. Our podcasts with That’s So Chronic’s Jess Brien are still live, covering topics of diagnosis, treatment, parenting, travel and research. We encourage you to grab a cup of tea, sit back, relax and listen.
Plans are well underway for our 2026 campaign which will be held from 14-20 September 2026.
MSNZs Co-Vice President, Graham Walker, represented NZ on the global stage at ECTRIMS in Barcelona. Invited to participate in several panel discussions, Graham represented those with lived experience.
Strengthening National Leadership and Member Services
This year saw a continued focus on supporting and strengthening our member organisations capabilities through national collaborative opportunities. MSNZ has 18 member organisations across Aotearoa, each with its own committee/board and employees supporting their local community. While MS organisations have differing functions, we work closely alongside each other to advance programs that support people affected by MS across Aotearoa NZ.
Our MS Conference is a critical opportunity to bring together representatives from our member organisations to connect, collaborate and build capability. Held in Auckland on 26–27 June, our two-day annual Conference was the best attended to date, with 37 participants from member organisations, the National Executive Committee and staff. Shaped by regionally identified needs, the programme focused on strengthening local communities through expert guidance, with strong emphasis on networking, fundraising sustainability, committee recruitment and retention, and good governance practice. The Conference also provided a platform to share MSNZ priorities and progress, including national advocacy, 2025 awareness campaign plans, the value of emerging committee members, and progress towards a nationally consistent Scope of Service for Community Advisors, reinforcing the strength of working together as a connected national organisation. Our thanks to Lottery for their funding to enable our support for member attendance.
Our Conference also provided opportunity to work with the NZ MS Research Trust who hosted an evening on the progress in MS Research in the last 10 years and on the horizon at the Matai in Gisborne. We also heard from MS Neurologist Benson Chen about the differential diagnoses of NMOSD and MOGAD which are often considered alongside MS and supported by many of our member organisations. Watch here to learn more.
At the end of July, we hosted our annual Community Advisors Meeting in Christchurch, bringing together regional staff for two full days of education, collaboration and connection. With the theme MS Across the Lifespan, the programme covered support from diagnosis through to ageing with MS, with expert presentations spanning related demyelinating conditions, aHSCT, communication, swallowing, fatigue management, resilience and self-care, emerging treatments, and the complexities of ageing with MS. A particular highlight was hearing directly from our Community Advisors, who shared services they are proud to deliver in their communities, reinforcing the value of learning from one another and celebrating collective impact. We are grateful to all speakers for their generosity and expertise, and sincerely thank Roche Products NZ, Novartis NZ and Merck Healthcare for their educational grant funding, which makes ongoing professional development for Community Advisors possible.
Through our Clinical Lead, we have been connecting with Community Advisors across the country to understand the unique local environments in which they work, their challenges and needs of their communities. In 2026 we will be furthering work together to establish consistency in scope, onboarding and professional development.
Investment in the futures of people living with MS continued through our Dorothy L Newman Scholarships. In 2025 over $16,000 of funding was awarded to support five recipients to undergo further education to enchance their employment prospects, which might have been impacted by their MS diagnosis. We have recently approved 7 additional Scholarships to the value of $17,000 for further education in 2026. This is a particular highlight of our impact at Multiple Sclerosis NZ, investing in the futures of the MS community.
Securing the Future
In a tight funding environment, careful financial management and the loyalty of our donors have been critical. We are realistic about the challenges ahead; costs are rising, fundraising and grant funding is increasingly competitive, and demand for services and advocacy continues to grow. We appreciate all the support we receive, financial or in-kind.
Bangers to Bluff was a resounding success once again, raising $72,000 for MS. We were proud to share $15,000 with the regional societies engaged on route, investing in locally delivered services. The support and generosity we receive from the Rotary Club of Half Moon Bay is deeply appreciated and we acknowledged our ever-growing relationship. Momentum is building for the 2026 rally in March which will see 17 teams travel once again on roads less travelled from Auckland to Bluff. We are currently on the search for sponsors – if you are keen to learn more, please contact us to receive the Sponsorship Proposal and discuss how you can come on board.
Email us About Bangers to Bluff Sponsorship
In 2025 we were proud to see our inaugural Ride for MS event take place in Cambodia. Six riders from Gisborne, Timaru and Christchurch cycled nearly 220km over seven days, raising $36,260 for MSNZ, MS Gisborne and MS South Canterbury. This shared experience not only generated vital funds but also helped raise awareness of MS across our communities. We extend our sincere thanks to the riders and their generous supporters, and with planning already underway for future events, we look forward to what comes next.
Our Final Thanks
Thank you to all our donors, members, advocates and volunteers for making this work possible. We can’t do it alone, but together, we can ensure people affected by MS across Aotearoa are supported, heard and feel empowered, now and into the future.
Thank you for being part of the journey and we look forward to continuing with you in 2026.