The municipalities of Móstoles and Alcorcón joined the commemoration of World Multiple Sclerosis Day, observed on May 30th. The primary goal of these actions was to increase awareness regarding the impact of this chronic illness on affected individuals and their families.

The events took place simultaneously at 12:00 PM in front of the municipal headquarters of both towns. They included the reading of a manifesto and a joint release of biodegradable balloons. The organization was led by the Móstoles Association for Multiple Sclerosis (AMDEM), in close coordination with the city councils of Móstoles and Alcorcón.

This year's awareness campaign, themed ‘Now… Let’s Tackle It!’, emphasizes the urgency for rapid and coordinated action against a condition that affects multiple aspects of the lives of those who suffer from it. Multiple sclerosis can manifest through fatigue, visual problems, mobility difficulties, balance and coordination issues, memory and concentration deficits, sleep disturbances, depression, mood swings, and pain.

The presented manifesto calls for key measures such as early diagnosis, adequate public funding, increased research for new treatments, access to comprehensive and free rehabilitation, and equity in access to pharmacological treatments across different autonomous communities and hospitals. It also requests greater support for caregiver families and increased business involvement in adapting workplaces and complying with the legal quota of 2%.

An additional 43 entities, part of the Spanish Association of Multiple Sclerosis (AEDEM-COCEMFE), are promoting these awareness activities alongside AMDEM. Multiple sclerosis is an autoimmune, demyelinating, and neurodegenerative disease of the Central Nervous System, typically diagnosed between the ages of 20 and 40. It affects approximately 55,000 people in Spain and 2,900,000 worldwide, with a new diagnosis occurring every five minutes.