Accelerated Cure Project Announces Collaboration with RealTalk MS Podcast

Efforts will Expand Education Across the Multiple Sclerosis Community

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Accelerated Cure Project for Multiple Sclerosis

Oct 30, 2018, 09:00 ET

WALTHAM, Mass., Oct. 30, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- Accelerated Cure Project (ACP) for Multiple Sclerosis (MS) today announced a collaboration with RealTalk MS, a weekly podcast for people affected by MS to expand sharing of research results and activities across the MS community. ACP will share insights and questions generated through its research initiative, iConquerMS™ (www.iConquerMS.org), to help inform future topics and content of the podcast.

With more than 4,600 members, iConquerMS is a robust people-powered research network enabling people affected by MS to participate in activities such as contributing their personal health data for research, joining clinical studies, and providing input into research study design. Members can also suggest topics of interest, helping to directly shape research and what is studied about living with MS. Insights from iConquerMS members will help identify topics covered in future episodes of RealTalk MS. Additionally, the RealTalk MS podcast will be shared on the iConquerMS website to further advance education and discussion on MS research among the iConquerMS network.

"iConquerMS seeks to not only enable people-centered research on MS, but also to serve as a bridge between people affected by MS and the MS research community," said Hollie Schmidt, Vice President of Scientific Operations at ACP. "We are pleased to partner with RealTalk MS to help us continue to deliver on this mission by driving discussions, learning directly from top researchers through this powerful educational resource and further disseminating results from our ongoing people-powered research efforts."

The RealTalk MS podcast is hosted by MS caregiver and activist Jon Strum for people living with MS, their caregivers, family members, and friends. The podcast features interviews and discussions with leading neuroscientists, clinicians, specialists, MS activists, patients, and caregivers about current research, health care policy, and advocacy efforts. Strum, whose wife Jeanne lives with progressive MS, launched the podcast in 2017. The podcast currently reaches more than 4,000 listeners.

"Joining with ACP and tapping into the iConquerMS network will help uncover new topics that the MS community wants to learn about while creating important conversations around those topics," said Jon Strum, RealTalk MS founder. "We look forward to the shared opportunity to expand and enhance MS education and to make a difference in the lives of patients, their caregivers, their families and friends."

As part of the collaboration, ACP will suggest subject matter and interviewees for podcast episodes based on the research questions submitted by iConquerMS members and provide its members a direct link to the podcasts through its website. RealTalk MS will include iConquerMS news and topics in its lineup of episodes and provide information about the initiative on its website and other communications. Listeners can download the free RealTalk MS app at the Apple App Store or the Google Play Store. The podcast is also available on Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, Spotify, or at http://realtalkms.com/.

For more information about iConquerMS™, visit www.iConquerMS.org, like us on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/iConquerMS or follow us on Twitter, handle @iConquerMS.

About iConquerMS™

iConquerMS™ (www.iConquerMS.org) is a research initiative by and for individuals affected by MS who contribute their ideas and their health data. iConquerMS™ was established in 2014 by the Accelerated Cure Project for MS, a non-profit organization with proven experience sharing resources with MS researchers worldwide, in partnership with Feinstein Kean Healthcare and Arizona State University. Funding for iConquerMS™ has been largely provided by the Patient-Centered Outcomes Research Institute (PCORI) (www.PCORI.org). More than 4,600 individuals living with MS are currently registered as iConquerMS™ research participants, constituting a large and growing cohort for data-driven research into topics of interest for people living with MS. iConquerMS™ is open to research collaborations with U.S. and international academic, government and industry organizations.

About Accelerated Cure Project for MS (ACP)

ACP (www.acceleratedcure.org) is a patient-founded non-profit organization dedicated to accelerating research efforts to improve diagnoses, optimize treatment outcomes, and develop cures for MS. The organization promotes scientific collaboration and accelerates research by

About RealTalk MS

RealTalk MS (realtalkms.com) is a podcast for people affected by multiple sclerosis (MS) — including patients, caregivers, family members, and friends. Each week, podcast host Jon Strum cuts through all the jargon and breaks down the latest advances in MS research and news. Every podcast episode also features an interview with the world-class MS researchers, clinicians, advocates, and policy makers who are making a difference in the lives of people affected by MS.

Contact for Media:

Kristin Mulligan
Feinstein Kean Healthcare
617-761-6790

Contact for all other inquiries:

Sara Loud
Accelerated Cure Project for MS
781-487-0032

SOURCE Accelerated Cure Project for Multiple Sclerosis