New England MS Branch

02/10/2026

Mental health is so very important to us all. Hope this can help some of you.

Mental health is just as important as physical health when living with MS. 💙

Anxiety and depression are common concerns for people affected by MS, but support and practical strategies can make a difference.

Our partner, the Menzies Institute for Medical Research, offers a free online course, Mental Health and MS, exploring the connection between MS and mental health through expert insights, practical tools, and lived experience perspectives.

Designed for people living with MS, family members, carers and health professionals, the course can be completed at your own pace, wherever and whenever it suits you.

👉 Enrol now: https://ms.mooc.utas.edu.au/i/mhp

29/09/2026

Our wonderful Marianne. You are truly an angel. ❤️

Have you ever wished you could talk to someone who truly understands what you're going through?

For Marie, living with MS in a rural town often felt isolating.

Through MS Plus' Peer Talk program, she was matched with Marianne, a volunteer mentor who also lives with MS.

Today, their regular conversations have grown into a close friendship built on understanding, empathy and shared experience.

Read Marianne and Marie's story:
🔗 https://www.msplus.org.au/about-us/latest-news/the-power-of-peer-support-marianne-and-maries-story

23/09/2026

🌏 More than 3 million people worldwide are now living with multiple sclerosis (MS).

New international research co-authored by our MS Research Flagship’s Professor Ingrid van der Mei highlights the growing global burden of MS and delivers the latest update from the Multiple Sclerosis International Federation's Atlas of MS, the world's leading source of global MS data.

🔗 Read more in the comments
Original paper here: https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/epub/10.1177/13524585261479954

23/09/2026

23/09/2026

A lovely reminder from the series “Multiple Sclerosis Is a Terrible Way to Meet Wonderful People” being published at the moment by Damian Washington (an amazing person in his own right!), who recently created this graphic highlighting some of Brett's and MStranslate's contributions to the MS community.

We are sharing it with a lot of gratitude, not as a list of achievements, but as a reflection of the people, stories and connections that make our community so special. You are all wonderful in our eyes and we are very lucky to have met you!

29/08/2026

Negotiating NDIS is getting harder. Hope this information helps.

New NDIS changes start today. Here’s what you need to know.

From 27 August 2026, the first changes under the new NDIS legislation come into effect.

These include:
🔹 Plan reassessments
Only participants, plan nominees or child representatives can ask for an unscheduled plan reassessment. Requests must relate to a significant and ongoing change in functional capacity, support needs or key life circumstances. The NDIA will have 90 days to decide whether to reassess a plan.
🔹 New record-keeping requirements
Participants must keep relevant records for 3 years, nominees for 5 years and providers for 7 years. The NDIS says further rules will explain exactly what records need to be kept.
🔹 Stronger NDIA compliance and information-gathering powers
Participants and providers may be required to provide information to the NDIA, with stronger enforcement powers now available.
🔹 Changes to NDIS pricing powers
The Minister for Disability and the NDIS can now make pricing determinations. The NDIA says there are no immediate changes to current NDIS pricing.
🔹 More automated administrative action
Computer systems can now be used for some administrative actions, including claims and payment processing. The NDIA says safeguards and oversight will apply, and details of where automated systems are used must be published.

These are significant changes, and how they are implemented matters.

Every Australian Counts will be watching closely, listening to people with disability and families, and holding the Government and NDIA accountable for what happens in practice.
The legislation has passed. Our work to protect our NDIS continues.

More information: https://www.ndis.gov.au/ndis-laws/securing-ndis-future-generations
If these changes have already impacted you, we want to hear your story: https://forms.gle/SFPLCv2cCg5C46Zp9

If an NDIS decision is affecting you, you don’t have to navigate it alone. Contact the Disability Gateway on 1800 643 787 for help finding an independent disability advocate. If you need immediate emotional support, Lifeline is available 24/7 on 13 11 14.

[Image description: Red Every Australian Counts graphic reading: “NDIS Changes: Now in effect. New NDIS changes start today. Here’s what you need to know.” Includes an August 27 calendar icon.]

26/08/2026

For all the Carers out there, support is just as important for you as it is to those you care for. This is an option that I heartily recommend to you all.

26/08/2026

Many ask the question "Is MS genetic?". Maybe this is can help.

🧬 What role do genes play in MS?

Genes play a role in a person’s risk of developing multiple sclerosis, but MS is not strictly a genetic disorder. Researchers have identified more than 200 subtle genetic changes linked to MS risk, with many involved in regulating the immune system.

However, genes are only part of the picture. Environmental factors also play an important role, and having a family member with MS does not mean that someone will necessarily develop the condition.

Understanding the relationship between genetics, the immune system and environmental factors is helping researchers learn more about the causes of MS. 🔬

👉 Learn more about the role of genes in MS: https://www.msif.org/news/2018/09/27/the-role-of-genes-in-ms/

26/08/2026

Just a quick message to remind you all that the next Branch Meeting is on Monday 7th September at 10:30am at the Armidale Bowling Club.

As always, everyone is welcome to come along and see how we keep this branch functioning. It is always great to have different people came to the meeting to maybe add a different perspective of things; present some new ideas; give us feedback about how we are going, or just to come along and say hi and share a cuppa.

We look forward to seeing you, at any time.

07/08/2026

So, with the start of the month of August, we are fast approaching our next Support Meeting which will be held on Wednesday 12th August at 10:30am at the Armidale Bowling Club.

This meeting has been dubbed our Show & Tell meeting. We have often had people mention something in passing about an everyday item they have purchased from a local shop which has been helpful to them and we felt it would be beneficial to share these items and how they have made activities or chores easier. Sometimes it may not be the intended purpose of the item but rather an alternative use that someone has found that makes life a little easier.

Please bring along such items if you have any, or a photo of it, and share with us how it works for you. These things should be something readily available in a normal retail outlet, e.g. Kmart, Big W, Harvey Norman, Bing Lee, Coles, Woolworths, Aldi etc, or easily available online, as opposed to items that are specific to any disability shops that requires special access.