- Approximately 90,000 Canadians live with multiple sclerosis (MS) 1, and Canada has one of the highest rates of MS in the world1.
- The My Krew Community Event will bring together Canadians affected by MS for education, peer-to-peer learning, and meaningful community connections.
- Registration is free and open to people living with MS, caregivers, care partners, advocates, industry partners, and members of the broader MS community.
- Novartis Canada has expanded educational efforts through new progression-focused resources available on MyRules.ca, including a dedicated Progression Hub, Disease Activity Tracker, and Progression Matters educational materials.
Toronto, ON, October 23, 2026 – Novartis Canada is expanding its commitment to Canadians affected by multiple sclerosis (MS) through the first-ever My Krew Community Event, an in-person gathering designed to foster connection, education, and peer-to-peer support among people living with MS, caregivers, care partners, advocates, and members of the broader MS community. Taking place on October 23, 2026, at the Bisha Hotel in Toronto, the event aims to bring together individuals impacted by MS for a day of meaningful conversations, learning, and community building.
Canada has one of the highest rates of MS globally, with approximately 90,000 Canadians living with the disease and an estimated 12 new diagnoses every day. As patients move through different stages of their disease, access to credible information, supportive communities, and continued dialogue with healthcare professionals becomes increasingly important.
The event will feature all My Krew members in interactive roundtable discussions on topics identified by the MS community as key priorities, including disability progression, treatment decision-making, women's health, self-advocacy, lifestyle and wellness, stigma, and community building. Participants will also hear from a panel featuring Dr. Reza Vosoughi, Neurologist and Associate Professor at Unity Health Toronto/St. Michael's Hospital; Coleen Harris, Nurse Coordinator at the University of Calgary MS Clinic; Ardra Shephard, MS advocate, author, and My Krew member; and Artee Mantua, My Krew member. Together, these speakers will bring both clinical expertise and lived-experience perspectives to the conversation.
The My Krew Community Event builds on Novartis Canada's ongoing efforts to advance MS education through MyRules.ca, the campaign's educational platform. Recently, the website expanded its disability progression content with the launch of a dedicated Progression Matters Hub, designed to help individuals living with MS better understand disease progression and facilitate informed conversations with their healthcare teams.
New resources include a Disease Activity Tracker, which helps individuals monitor changes in their day-to-day experiences that may warrant discussion with their care team, as well as a Disease Activity Guide developed in collaboration with MS nurses. Additional resources include My Krew educational episodes focused on progression and new Progression Matters awareness posters featuring Ardra Shephard, which will be distributed through MS clinics across Canada.
“People living with multiple sclerosis need more than information. They need access to trusted resources, meaningful connections, and opportunities to learn from others who understand their experience,” said Jason Brown, Vice President, Neuroscience, Novartis Canada. “Through initiatives like the My Krew Community Event and the continued expansion of educational resources, we are helping create spaces that empower people living with MS to better understand their disease, engage in informed discussions with their healthcare team, and navigate their journey with confidence.”
“Living with multiple sclerosis requires ongoing conversations between patients and their healthcare teams. As needs, goals, and life circumstances evolve, open dialogue helps ensure treatment decisions remain aligned with what matters most to each individual,” said Dr. Reza Vosoughi.
Through initiatives such as My Krew, Novartis Canada remains committed to advancing multiple sclerosis education, awareness, and patient support beyond medicines. By fostering community connection, promoting shared decision-making, and expanding access to educational resources, Novartis continues to support Canadians living with MS throughout their disease journey.
Additional information and educational resources are available at MyRules.ca and through the My Krew community channels on Facebook and Instagram (@mykrewca).
About Multiple Sclerosis
MS is a chronic, often disabling immune disease that attacks the central nervous system (CNS), made up of the brain, spinal cord, and optic nerve. MS can be characterized into four main types: clinically isolated syndrome (CIS), relapsing remitting (RRMS), secondary progressive (SPMS) and primary progressive (PPMS).1 These forms can be distinguished based on whether someone experiences relapses (clearly defined acute inflammatory attacks of worsening neurological function), and/or whether they experience progression of neurologic damage and disability from the onset of the disease.2
About Novartis
Novartis is an innovative medicines company. Every day, we work to reimagine medicine to improve and extend people’s lives so that patients, healthcare professionals and societies are empowered in the face of serious disease. Our medicines reach nearly 300 million people worldwide. In Canada, Novartis Pharmaceuticals Canada Inc. employs approximately 500 people to serve the evolving needs of patients and the healthcare system and invests over $36 million in R&D yearly in the country. Reimagine medicine with us: Visit us at www.novartis.ca and connect with us on LinkedIn.
References
- https://mscanada.ca/ms-research/latest-research/prevalence-and-incidence-of-ms-in-canada-and-around-the-world Accessed March 2026.
- MS Society of Canada. Prevalence and incidence of MS in Canada and around the world. Available at: https://mssociety.ca/research-news/article/prevalence-and-incidence-of-… canada-and-around-the-world. Accessed March 2026.
- MS Society of Canada. What is MS – Types. Available at: mssociety.ca/about-ms/types. Accessed March 2026.
- Types of MS and MS progression. Novartis. (n.d.). https://www.novartis.com/diseases/multiplesclerosis/types-ms-and-ms-progression. Last accessed December 9, 2025.
Novartis media contact
Rafaela Righetti, Head, Communications & Patient Advocacy Manager, Neuroscience
Phone: 263-288-9714
[email protected]