mission reach

106countries 2,154cities millionsof people
27TV stations
50+newspapers
100+websites
defeated
compassion
fatigue
reached
new
larger
audiences
made
more
people
care
attracted
unprecedented
attention
to MS
put
a face
behind
MS
educated
the broader
public

Defeating compassion fatigue

If we are to help those with MS and move towards a world free of MS, we have to make more people aware of the challenges of living with MS, make MS better understood, and increase the support for MS.

It sounds simple and logical. Yet, MS remains an "invisible disease" to most, according to MS organizations and people with MS alike: their efforts to draw more attention to MS have not had the desired results.

Enter compassion fatigue: people and journalists alike are tired of caring. In a world of increasing information overload there are just too many good causes competing for our ever shorter attention spans: there are over 2,000 "awareness" days every year.

So, how do you get people to pay attention? Well-financed causes use celebrities or massive advertising budgets, options MS does not have.

We took a different approach: make learning about MS exciting and more memorable. That is how Fly for MS got born: we thought that the daring nature of a record-making marathon aboard a little plane would fuel people's imaginations and defeat compassion fatigue, thus getting them to learn about MS.

And the results surpassed even our own expectations: MS drew unprecedented attention, reaching new, larger audiences that has not previously been exposed to the cause.

Our most emotional segment

Achieving what MS convention couldn't

Chicago play video Chicago, U.S.

In Chicago, the U.S. MS Society's national convention, the biggest event of the largest MS organization in the world, did not attract any TV coverage, while our stop there was covered by an Emmy award-wining journalist. TV clip and downtown Chicago by night »

MS on the evening TV news

For the very first time

Dublin play video Dublin, Ireland

The Irish MS organization tried many times to get MS on TV to increase awareness. Finally, with our arrival to Dublin, the "invisible disease" became visible. TV clip »

Media doesn't have time for MS

Fly for MS gets the attention

London play video London, UK

The UK MS Society, Europe's largest, was adamant the media has no time for MS. The TV reporter confirmed that, adding "but this is cool". TV clip and aerial views of London »

International Written Media

Wall Street Journal
New York, U.S.
Huffington Post
New York, U.S.
Suddeutsche Zeitung
Munich, Germany
Surrey Mirror
London, UK
La Vanguardia
Barcelona, Spain
More written media coverage
»»»

Attracting unprecedented attention to MS, reaching new audiences

MS is not new, and is not one o the "trendy" causes. MS organizations feel lucky to get a single TV station to cover even their largest events.

But the creative, unconventional approach to raising awareness generated a level of excitement previously not associated with MS.

Media interest was often so intense that competing TV crews ...

... had to share flights

Fly for MS: Barcelona play video Barcelona, Spain

... became friends

Fly for MS: Portugal play video Lisbon, Portugal

... negotiated their turn to fly

Fly for MS: Istanbul play video Istanbul, Turkey

Putting a face behind MS

People don't care about causes, they care about people

Fly for MS was able to draw more attention to MS not only because of its exciting approach, but also because most people resonate more from outside of the MS community. "We don't have MS, yet we care, so you should too" is much more compelling to the public and the media.

However, despite how much we know about MS, there is now way we could portray the challenges of living with, and fighting, this terrible disease like those that have it.

Most of us do not see people with MS. Once debilitated by the disease, many choose to withdraw from society. So most people are unaware of the wide diversity of those touched by MS

We wanted to show the wide range of people affected by MS, correct the misconception that it only affects older people, and let them talk about the disease, their needs, challenges and hopes.

They know best: making the faces of those living with MS known and their voices heard

From performing on stage to wheelchair in 1 year

Fly for MS: Netherlands play video Amsterdam, Netherlands

Already worrying about paying for drugs at only 18

Fly for MS: Moldova play video Chisinau, Moldova

Most don't know how people with MS look like

Fly for MS: Iceland Reykjavik, Iceland

Educating and informing

Making more aware that MS exists and that it is cruel is a good start, but would not in itself have a long-term, lasting impact. The more we understand a cause, as well as why we need to help, the more likely it is we will act.

Therefore, Fly for MS used the attention drawn to MS to educate the public about the disease itself, as well as the issues faced by those living with it.
 

Fly for MS: Turkey play video Istanbul, Turkey
Fly for MS: Spain play video Madrid, Spain
Fly for MS: UK play video London, UK
Fly for MS: Netherlands play video Amsterdam, Netherlands
Fly for MS: Slovakia play video Martin, Slovakia
Fly for MS: U.S. play video Chicago, U.S.
Fly for MS: Romania play video Bucharest, Romania
Fly for MS: Ireland play video Dublin, Ireland
Fly for MS: Estonia play video Tallinn, Estonia