One in five people did not know what MS stands for, and almost 70% were unaware of the major symptoms. During MS Awareness Week, we used that research to help the MS Trust show how widely MS is still misunderstood, and to mark 25 years of MS specialist nursing in the UK. We put the MS Trust's specialist nurse programme manager on air across a day of radio and TV interviews, highlighting the difference specialist nurses make and asking for public help so no one has to manage MS alone. The broadcast PR campaign secured 22 items of radio and TV coverage reaching 4.4 million people, including London Live, ITV East Anglia, BBC Radio Scotland and BBC Radio Wales.
MS Trust wanted to raise awareness of the charity and highlight the difference specialist nurses make to people with MS.
The message
That year marked 25 years of MS specialist nursing in the UK. The charity wanted to celebrate the nurses' work and, with public help, make sure no one has to manage MS alone.
The angle
During MS Awareness Week, research showed MS is still widely misunderstood: one in five people did not know what MS stands for and almost 70% were unaware of the major symptoms.
On air
The MS Trust's specialist nurse programme manager
The result
22 items of coverage reaching 4.4 million, including BBC Radio Scotland, London Live, BBC Radio Wales, ITV East Anglia.
More campaigns for MS Trust
MS Trust has come back to Relations Group for other broadcast PR campaigns:
MS Awareness Week is run in the UK by the MS Society together with the MS Trust, MS-UK, Shift.ms and other MS charities. It aims to improve understanding of multiple sclerosis and to challenge assumptions about living with it. It usually takes place in late April. For brands and charities with something useful to say, it gives radio and TV producers a timely reason to book an interview.
Planning MS Awareness Week for 2027?
MS Awareness Week usually runs in late April. Talk to the team about a broadcast PR campaign that gets your spokesperson on radio and TV.
