Donations support a brighter future for people with MS

More than £80,000 has been donated to benefit University research

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Mrs Amy King

Media and Communications Officer

Corporate Communications (Marketing and Communications)

16 December 2024

More than £80,000 has been donated to benefit University research helping people with multiple sclerosis (MS).

One of the projects that will receive funding is the South West Impact of Multiple Sclerosis (SWIMS) initiative – a University of Plymouth research project working with around 1,600 local people with the condition.

Participants provide new information about how the condition changes over time and, having run for over 20 years, it holds an internationally unique set of information about the impact of MS.

Transform MS

The donation came from Transform MS, a University of Plymouth spin out company that was established as a community interest company (CIC) – a rare set up within the research sector.

Unlike most spinouts, a CIC is established to ensure that its activities and income are used to deliver an agreed social purpose that benefits the community. In 2024 Transform MS is doing this by donating to causes like the University of Plymouth and other organisations supporting people with neurodegenerative conditions.

‘Making it easier to cope’

Characterised by symptoms such as fatigue and muscle spasms that get worse over time, there is currently no cure for MS.

In addition to finding out more about the condition to help drive treatments for the future, SWIMS creates a community of people interested in MS research and shares the latest news, trials and studies for people living with it now.

Research participant Kate Mitchell is proud to be involved.

She said:

“Since the millennium there have been enormous strides in the development of different treatments. In addition to SWIMS I’ve been involved in studies measuring fatigue and measuring the results of a regular exercise regime.

“There is a regular newsletter from the SWIMS project which mentions all the possible research projects patients could be involved with.

“Plymouth has been a centre of excellence in the UK, and the ability to participate in research has made it so much easier to cope with the condition. MS affects every patient differently, and because diagnosis often occurs in younger people one can feel very isolated.”

Sharing expertise with the world

As part of its activities, the SWIMS team is supporting an international webinar supported by the National Institute for Health and Care Research (NIHR) on Tuesday 17 December at 5pm. Entitled 'Living with Smouldering MS: What you need to know', the event addresses a current area of interest in MS care.

It is hosted by Dr Agne Straukiene from Torbay and South Devon NHS Foundation Trust, alongside Professor Jeremy Hobart from the University of Plymouth and University Hospitals Plymouth NHS Trust, and Professor Gavin Giovannoni from Barts Health NHS Trust.

Webinar link

MS is a terrible disease to have and a challenging condition to try and help manage, not least because there are so many symptoms we cannot yet control.

But by working alongside people with lived experience of MS, we can identify key changes and data to help inform future interventions.

SWIMS is an important study in helping this to happen and we’re grateful for everyone’s involvement as we mark its 20-year milestone, including the support from Transform MS.

The latest webinar, as with any event we run, is designed for anyone in the MS community. The local MS community tell us how much they value hearing information about the latest research and clinical developments so it is a vital part of the SWIMS project.

It’s really important we keep developing this important research for the future, and having community at our heart. Thanks to our study participants and the many people who have donated monies to support our work for enabling us to do this.

Professor Jeremy Hobart
Professor

Donations are lifechanging

We are so grateful to Transform MS CIC team for its donation to ongoing research at the University of Plymouth. The work that they do is vital for our understanding of MS, not just in the South West but globally too.

The SWIMS team is one of a number of medical research projects taking place at the University which is changing lives thanks to people’s kindness.

We’re very proud of the projects taking place, and we’re here to talk to anyone who may consider fundraising for them in the future.

Mrs Becky Chown
Fundraising Manager

Find out more

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The South West Impact of Multiple Sclerosis (SWIMS) project

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Plymouth Institute of Health and Care Research (PIHR)