More than 5,000 people in New Zealand are living with multiple sclerosis (MS). In a country of five million, that can feel like a small number, easy to overlook, easy to deprioritise. But those 5,000 people don’t stand alone. Behind each diagnosis are families, whānau, friends, employers, and communities. When those voices speak together on a common issue, they carry real weight. And when we join alongside others in the broader health and disability community facing similar challenges, our message is further amplified.
As regional MS societies walk beside you, providing information, support, and community connection, at Multiple Sclerosis NZ (MSNZ), our job as the national organisation is to advocate for the conditions that shape your life: your healthcare, your funding, your access to treatment, and your future. We care about what daily life looks like for you, and we are pushing for it to be better.
When no one at the table is representing the community, decisions get made without us, services get cut, funding gets redirected.
When collectively we all engage, that changes. Lived-experience becomes visible and your needs become part of the conversation.
Together, We Cut Through the Noise
Decision-makers are pulled in every direction, especially in an election year. Every sector, every community has urgent and legitimate needs. Governments have finite budgets and finite attention.
What helps us stand out is consistency and collective weight. A single voice is easy to set aside. A thousand voices, speaking on the same issue, framing it clearly and personally, are much harder to dismiss.
Collective advocacy doesn’t mean everyone says the same thing. It means that when we share a common concern (whether that’s access to specialist care, treatment funding, or disability support), addressing it together shows both the scale of the issue and the breadth of people it touches. At MSNZ we can add the MS community lens. Your individual story and perspective strengthen the collective message giving it life and meaning.
Evidence Matters. So Does Your Story.
Strong advocacy needs both a solid-evidence base and the human reality that sits behind it.
Data, clinical research, and health statistics give the argument credibility, making the case logical and hard to refute. A well-constructed economic argument, showing cost savings or downstream benefits, puts us in an even stronger position with those who control budgets. But data alone rarely shifts priorities.
What moves people, what makes a decision-maker pause and think about real consequences, is lived experience. Your story can make someone understand what a policy means for a real person on an ordinary day.
For MSNZ, hearing your lived-experience is an important part of our advocacy process. It means that we know we are communicating the right message and speaking out on issues which are most important to our community.
Our wins on treatment funding, access to disability support, widening eligibility have come from a combination of data, persistence, and brave people willing to share their experience. Last year, 1,800 people across the disability community stood together to help reinstate DSS flexible funding. The numbers mattered, but the stories behind them mattered more.
The Courage to Share Your Story
Sharing your story publicly isn’t a small thing. It can feel exposing and scary and we get that. But for a media story to get traction, it helps (sometimes it’s required) to have real people willing to put their name and face to an issue. Over the past 15 years, the growth in people coming forward has been remarkable. More people now share openly, choosing to help decision-makers understand the human consequences of the choices they make, and to show others in the MS community that they are not alone.
We also acknowledge that not every campaign will speak directly to your situation, or land at the right moment in your own journey. Engage when and how you can, but also you might consider how your story can improve the lives and futures of others and leave a legacy.
Celebrating Progress Along the Way
Advocacy takes time. It can be slow and, at times, genuinely frustrating. As a not for profit, for purpose organisation, it is also costly. We find that recognising the small wins (a policy shift, a door opened, a commitment secured) is what keeps us grounded and able to keep pushing for the bigger ones.
We are also inspired by you, your resilience, tenacity and that feeds our passion and determination to push for more. We value your feedback, input and sharing the outcomes of our advocacy.
The Upcoming Election
Elections shift the dynamic. Politicians are listening, policies and positions are still being formed, and commitments are still up for grabs.
Over the coming months you will hear more from us, through our website, emails, social media, and your regional society. When you do, please take it seriously. Consistency and repetition of a clear, well-reasoned message is what breaks through.
The most direct thing you can do is speak to your local MP. Talk to them about what your challenges are. Ask them where they stand on what means most to you. Make it concrete, make it personal. Let them know you expect them to stand up for their constituents and that you’ll be paying attention. That kind of pressure is exactly what shifts political priorities.
If you choose to share your story publicly, thank you. At MSNZ, we will support you through that process, and we will always protect your anonymity when that’s what you need. You can share your story by emailing info@msnz.org.nz or complete the contact form on our website: www.msnz.org.nz/contact-us/contact-msnz
Collectively, we can make an impact.
Last Updated June 22, 2026