Hold on to your hats because 2026 is going to be another big year for the MS community not only here in Australia, but across the world.
On March 4, we will announce our 2026 research grants at an event at Parliament House, supporting innovative and exciting Australian research.
In April, we will co-host with MS Canada the second workshop for our global prevention and early detection research initiative. This will see the outcomes of our first workshop – just published in the MS Journal – turned into a set of concrete priority measures.
In May, we will run, walk, roll, hop, skip, jump – among others – as we take part in our single most important fundraiser for MS research – The May50K. I’m in training already to make sure I can finish my kick-off event – the Sydney Half Marathon on May 3.
We will also host an event in Sydney to mark World MS Day, which occurs on May 30 each year, with this year’s theme focusing again on diagnosis.
In August, as chair of the Neurological Alliance Australia, I will help host our second major neurological summit, again at Parliament House. Importantly, we will be releasing the results of our first-ever survey of people living with neurological conditions, with a focus on gaps in services.
On October 21-23, all eyes will be on Toronto where the largest MS research conference will be held. This will be a combined mega-meeting of the European ECTRIMS and the American ACTRIMS, a special event that only happens once every six years.
And on November 25, we will hold a one-day research symposium in Melbourne to explore the impact of 30 years of disease-modifying therapies in Australia and look at what is in the therapeutic pipeline that can further revolutionise the treatment of MS in the coming years.
On top of this, 2026 will see the outcomes of the review of our research program, which will help ensure our world-class research program is focussed on the priorities that matter most to you, the MS community, and ultimately, to achieving our number one goal, a world without MS.
Thank you for all your support in 2025. We look forward to working with you throughout 2026 as we re-commit ourselves to serving everyone living with MS, your family, friends and carers.
