Genzyme Recognizes Sixth Annual World MS Day
– Company Supporting Wide Range of Programs to Help Improve the Lives of People Living with Multiple Sclerosis –
Wednesday, May 28, 2014 8:00 am EDT
CAMBRIDGE, Mass.–(BUSINESS WIRE)—Genzyme, a Sanofi company (EURONEXT: SAN and NYSE: SNY), today recognizes World MS Day, an initiative developed by the Multiple Sclerosis International Federation (MSIF) to raise awareness of MS and its impact on the lives of more than two million people around the world. With two differentiated MS therapies and a research pipeline focused on innovative approaches to treating the disease, Genzyme has a long-term commitment to the MS community.
World MS Day recognizes the significance of MS on a global scale, and it’s an important reminder of the challenges faced by everyone affected by this devastating disease,
said Bill Sibold, Genzyme’s Senior Vice President and Head of MS. We’re inspired every day by people living MS and the people who care for them, and we’re constantly pushing ourselves to transform what it means to receive an MS diagnosis.
Genzyme sites around the world are partnering with local patient organizations on a variety of World MS Day activities. Genzyme supports people living with MS through grants and partnerships intended to address a range of unmet needs. This year, the company has provided funding to more than 70 organizations in support of more than 200 patient advocacy projects. Key 2014 grants and partnerships include:
Shift.ms: Genzyme is partnering with this social network, which is focused on reducing isolation and increasing support for people living with MS. The company is sponsoring efforts by Shift.ms to gather information from people with MS in many different parts of the world about their approach to living with the disease, with the goal of enabling members of the community to compare experiences and learn from each other.
EU Nurse Advisory Board: The goal of this initiative is to increase knowledge about multiple sclerosis among nurses in Europe. Genzyme is partnering with the International Organization of Multiple Sclerosis Nurses and the European Multiple Sclerosis Platform to host a nurse advisory board focused on providing more specialized education for European nurses who care for MS patients. The company has also supported work to translate multiple sclerosis nurse training modules so they may be utilized across the EU.
I Ride with MS
: Genzyme is the lead sponsor of the I Ride with MS
program from the National Multiple Sclerosis Society (NMSS) which creates awareness of people living with MS who ride in the NMSS’s Bike MS events around the country. The initiative was piloted last year at 15 Bike MS events, and has been expanded this year to include all 100 rides across the United States.
Swim for MS: In collaboration with the Multiple Sclerosis Association of America, Genzyme is sponsoring this campaign to raise awareness and understanding of water-based exercise programs as a wellness opportunity for the MS community. The program features personal stories from people living with MS about how water activities have impacted their lives. Swim for MS’s online Aquatic Center provides print, video and web-based resources developed with the help of experts in aquatic exercise, rehabilitation therapy and MS. It also features personal stories from people with MS about how water activities have positively impacted their lives.
MSIF Grants: Genzyme has provided a communications grant to MSIF, which supports upgrades to the organization’s website, newsletters and other publications, to help ensure it is most effectively sharing information with the MS community. Genzyme has also provided a grant to support the MSIF’s World MS Day awareness activities.
Genzyme is proud to be a sponsor of World MS Day, which this year is focused on access – whether it is access to healthcare, support, work or study, there are many barriers to access that people living with MS face every day. MSIF is collecting One Day
wishes from the community, to raise awareness about the challenges facing MS patients. Genzyme is participating in this campaign by creating Wish Walls
at its sites globally, where employees can post their personal wishes. Visit the World MS Day website, www.worldmsday.org, to see wishes from advocates and people living with MS around the world.
About Genzyme, a Sanofi Company
Genzyme has pioneered the development and delivery of transformative therapies for patients affected by rare and debilitating diseases for over 30 years. We accomplish our goals through world-class research and with the compassion and commitment of our employees. With a focus on rare diseases and multiple sclerosis, we are dedicated to making a positive impact on the lives of the patients and families we serve. That goal guides and inspires us every day. Genzyme’s portfolio of transformative therapies, which are marketed in countries around the world, represents groundbreaking and life-saving advances in medicine. As a Sanofi company, Genzyme benefits from the reach and resources of one of the world’s largest pharmaceutical companies, with a shared commitment to improving the lives of patients. Learn more at www.genzyme.com.
Genzyme® is a registered trademark of Genzyme Corporation.
About Sanofi
Sanofi, a global healthcare leader, discovers, develops and distributes therapeutic solutions focused on patients’ needs. Sanofi has core strengths in the field of healthcare with seven growth platforms: diabetes solutions, human vaccines, innovative drugs, consumer healthcare, emerging markets, animal health and the new Genzyme. Sanofi is listed in Paris (EURONEXT: SAN) and in New York (NYSE: SNY).
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Contact:
Genzyme Media Relations
Erin Pascal, +1-857-248-0874
erin.pascal@genzyme.com
