Episode 77: Shift.ms with Founder George Pepper & Aoife Kirwan

George Pepper was diagnosed with multiple sclerosis in 2009, at the age of 22. He initially found it difficult to connect with others his own age who were living with MS, so George set up a website where people living with MS could meet and share their experiences. That website evolved into an online community called shift.ms, and today, more than 18,000 people participate in the shift.ms community. My guests today are the founder of shift.ms, George Pepper, and Aoife Kirwan, a member of the shift.ms community.      We're also talking about a new report that reminds us that there's a lot of fake health news online, how Medicare rules are costing people living with MS more money, a global response to talking about sex and MS, and a study that will introduce you to the Caregiver Strain Index, a reliable tool in measuring MS caregiver burden.   We have a lot to talk about! Are you ready for RealTalk MS?! ___________ A solution to Loneliness & MS   :23 Study Results Warn Against "Fake Online Health News"  2:48 Medicare Policies Cost People With MS More Money  8:50 MS International Federation Talks About Sex & MS  12:57 Caregiver Strain Index Is A Valid Measurement of Caregiver Burden  14:33 My Interview with George Pepper & Aoife Kirwan  18:24 Join The RealTalk MS Conversation  30:25 ___________ ADD YOUR VOICE TO THE CONVERSATION I've always thought about the RealTalk MS podcast as a conversation. And this is your opportunity to join the conversation by sharing your feedback, questions, and suggestions for topics that we can discuss in future podcast episodes. Please shoot me an email or call the RealTalk MS Listener Hotline and share your thoughts! Email: [email protected] Phone: (310) 526-2283 ___________ LINKSIf your podcast app doesn't allow you to click on these links, you'll find them in the show notes in the RealTalk MS app or at www.RealTalkMS.com Download the RealTalk MS App for iOS Download the RealTalk MS App for Android Give RealTalk MS a Rating & Review The Most Popular Health Articles of 2018: A Scientific Credibility Review Trends in Coverage for Disease-Modifying Therapies for Multiple Sclerosis in Medicare Part D Sex Life & MS Measuring Burden in Caregivers of People with Multiple Sclerosis: Psychometric Properties of the CSI Questionnaire Shift.ms ___________ Follow RealTalk MS on Twitter, @RealTalkMS_jon, and subscribe to our newsletter at our website, RealTalkMS.com. RealTalk MS Episode 77 Hosted By: Jon Strum Guest: George Pepper & Aoife Kirwan Tags: MS, MultipleSclerosis, MSResearch, Caregiving, ShiftMS, MSIntFederation, RealTalkMS