Episode 323: Support for Veterans with MS with Izzy Abbass and a New Project for Jamie-Lynn Sigler

More than 70,000 U.S. veterans are living with MS. That's why the only federal funding specifically earmarked for MS research comes from the U.S. Department of Defense. It's why the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs has established the Multiple Sclerosis Centers of Excellence. And it's why, in 2019, the National MS Society established a strategic partnership with the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs. This week, we're saluting the men and women of our armed services, and we're highlighting some of the resources available to U.S. veterans who are living with MS. Izzy Abbass, the Co-Chair of the Paralyzed Veterans of America MS Committee, joins me to discuss all the ways the PVA assists U.S. veterans in obtaining their VA benefits. We're also sharing the results of a study that compared the efficacy of being treated with autologous hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (aHSCT) and being treated with a high-efficacy disease-modifying therapy.  We'll tell you about the results of a study that may begin to explain why African Americans who are living with MS often experience a more severe disease course. We'll give you the details about where and how to register for this Thursday's International Progressive MS Alliance's global webcast that's focused on treatments and new research for cognitive challenges in progressive MS. And actress Jamie-Lynn Sigler is also joining me this week to talk about her MS journey and to share some news about a new project that she has developed for people living with MS. We have a lot to talk about! Are you ready for RealTalk MS??! This Week: Resources for U.S. Veterans living with MS  :22 My guest, Izzy Abbass, explains how the PVA assists U.S. Veterans with MS in receiving their VA benefits  2:41 A study compared the efficacy of autologous hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (aHSCT) with a high-efficacy disease-modifying therapy  11:21 Results of a study may begin to explain why African Americans who are living with MS often experience a higher level of disease activity and faster disability progression  14:36 This Thursday, the International Progressive MS Alliance is hosting a global webcast exploring treatments and research focused on cognitive challenges in progressive MS  17:31 Jamie-Lynn Sigler discusses her new guide for people living with MS  19:13 Share this episode  30:25 Have you downloaded the free RealTalk MS app?  30:45 SHARE THIS EPISODE OF REALTALK MS Just copy this link & paste it into your text or email: https://realtalkms.com/323 ADD YOUR VOICE TO THE CONVERSATION I've always thought about the RealTalk MS podcast as a conversation. And this is your opportunity to join the conversation by sharing your feedback, questions, and suggestions for topics that we can discuss in future podcast episodes. Please shoot me an email or call the RealTalk MS Listener Hotline and share your thoughts! Email: jon@realtalkms.com Phone: (310) 526-2283 And don't forget to join us in the RealTalk MS Facebook group! LINKS If your podcast app doesn't allow you to click on these links, you'll find them in the show notes in the RealTalk MS app or at www.RealTalkMS.com National MS Society: Resources for U.S. Veterans with Multiple Sclerosis https://nationalmssociety.org/Resources-Support/Find-Support/Veterans-with-Multiple-Sclerosis U.S. Department of Veteran Affairs: Multiple Sclerosis Centers of Excellence https://www.va.gov/ms Paralyzed Veterans of America: Multiple Sclerosis Resources https://pva.org/research-resources/multiple-sclerosis STUDY: Autologous Hematopoietic Stem Cell Transplantation is Superior to Alemtuzumab in Patients with Highly Active Relapsing Multiple Sclerosis and Severe Disability https://sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2211034823005977 STUDY: African American Patients with Multiple Sclerosis (MS) Have Higher Proportions of CD19+ and CD20+ B-Cell Lineage Cells in Their Cerebrospinal Fluid than White MS Patients https://sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S2211034823005485 REGISTER for Thursday's Global Webcast on Cognitive Challenges in Progressive MS https://msif.org/cognitive-webcast Join the RealTalk MS Facebook Group https://facebook.com/groups/realtalkms Download the RealTalk MS App for iOS Devices https://itunes.apple.com/us/app/realtalk-ms/id1436917200 Download the RealTalk MS App for Android Deviceshttps://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=tv.wizzard.android.realtalk Give RealTalk MS a rating and review http://www.realtalkms.com/review Follow RealTalk MS on Twitter, @RealTalkMS_jon, and subscribe to our newsletter at our website, RealTalkMS.com. RealTalk MS Episode 323 Guests: Izzy Abbass and Jamie-Lynn Sigler Privacy Policy