Scot who linked 'MS and Sunshine' in OZ aims to end MS and save mum

Press release August 3, 2011 Health

Teen who found 'missing link' in sunny QLD declares all war to help end MS

16 yr old MS campaigner Ryan McLaughlin of the Shine on Scotland campaign for FREE vitamin D supplements to prevent MS in Scotland has launched his own social network dedicated it to fighting for better treatments for those with Youtube: multiple sclerosis and vow's to lead a new global campaign to help end the disease if he can get the support.

The plucky teen discovered the missing link while on a holiday with his family in Queensland his mum was in a wheelchair on arrival in Austrailia and within 48 hours she was up and able to her taekwon-do patterns, it was a miracle and thats when he made the link, the family went home and his mum's health declined confounding his theory, Ryan took to the net and discovered research by Prof Eber's from Oxford University, armed with research he took up his fight to help beat the disease.

He was dubbed as 'Braveheart' after he dressed up as William Wallace and he led an army of 350 kids to the Scottish Parliament demanding free vitamin D suppements, for 3 years he's been researching and leading the campaign to try and prevent MS.

He was highlighted in the Austrailian press last year after he held a International summit in Scotland on 'Vitamin D and MS' that Austrailian researchers attended and contributed in debating all the evidence along with many renowned scientists from around the world. The teens International summit even spurred on trials in OZ by MS Research Austrailia. His war on MS won him a Pride of Britain Award Video Link

Ryan has created this platform to act as a campaigns HQ allowing the teenager to launch, support and manage multiple campaigns and all the logistics on a single platform. It's full of videos with the latest research many of them provided by MS Research Austrailia.

The site offers many applications and tools available on Facebook plus members have the ability to customise their own profile pages similar to that offered by social sites like MySpace and Bebo with live chat, free blogs and member forums. it even a radio station and live TV broadcasts inc a live TV feed from the Whitehouse as well as a host of fun, science and political programs.

The website is free to join and open to everyone effected or touched by MS inc charities, researchers and activists alike. The new website will form a key part of the campaigners 'vision' and to help him in his fight to end MS .

'It's a new tool and a platform for taking action on ending Multiple Sclerosis'

To have a platform to allow us to bring everyone with a connection to MS together on a single website, who share the same goal in ending MS is a really great tool in the war to help beat MS.

It's a simple concept but it works 'we are stronger together - fighting together' say's Ryan.

If we combine the resourses of MS charities worldwide and use the power of social media I believe we can get politicians to sit up and listen and then to act - we can end MS - stop the pain and end the misery.

MS is still being ignored by politicians and governments and now I want to make a stand for MS - I want action taken by world leaders to begin work on a road map for ending MS with a generation. I believe those with MS deserve nothing less.

Members have the say

“I want to let the members shape it and allow them to 'get involved' in helping me develop a global campaign for ‘Political Action in ending MS within a generation‘. I need the MS community to join and support me, together we will make this succeed”

The website has support for 17 languages including, Arabic, Russian and Chinese with more being planned in the coming weeks.

The teenager says he wont forget he dicovered the crucial link in OZ and never forget his family and the people of Austrailia who have helped to support the work of MSRA - with your support researcher's are on the verge of preventing MS now i'm aim my sights even higher - i want action to bring an end to the disease. I hope to raise funding to visit OZ later this year.

The campaigner plans to open the Shine on MS Foundation in August and is planning a 'Gala MS Dinner' in Glasgow in early November to raise funding towards vitamin D clinical trials and stem cell research, if I raise my targets I would like to contribute towards research projects with MS Society Scotland and MSRA. We are just confirming up final dates with a "Major Celebrity Host" then well announce the full details.

It's been really hard to get my plans off the ground with no funding. I've had to rely on sponsors and donations. But despite the difficulties I will never stop fighting for what's right !

Notes for Editors:

About Shine On MS

A social network and community for those affected by Multiple Sclerosis. Shine On MS is a community for people affected by Multiple Sclerosis, MS Groups, researchers, campaigners and activists. Users can share, get support and interact with other members. www.shineonms.com

About the Shine on Scotland Campaign

A campaign by Ryan Mclaughlin to get vitamin D for every child and pregnant
mother as a preventative measure against Multiple Sclerosis www.shineonscotland.org.uk

The plucky teen was backed by author J.K Rowling and Sir Tom Hunter

About the MS Society Scotland

The MS Society Scotland is dedicated to supporting everyone living with or affected by MS, providing respite care, an award-winning freephone helpline (0808 800 8000), specialist MS nurses and funds around 80 vital MS research projects in the UK. www.mssocietyscotland.org.uk

About MS Research Austrailia

MSRA is currently working with Australian scientists to establish a clinical prevention trial of vitamin D in MS, targeting people with the earliest signs of MS. This trial will help provide the much needed evidence that vitamin D can prevent the development of MS and determine the most effective dose of vitamin D. Funding has been secured to begin the trial, but further funding will be required to see the trial through to completion.

Dr Lisa Melton

Research Development Manager

MS Research Australia

PO Box 1246 Chatswood NSW 2057

293 Mowbray Road Chatswood NSW 2067

D: 02 9468 8337 F: 02 9411 7456

Email: [email protected] Web: www.msra.org.au