Bengaluru: Millions globally and 2 lakh people in India live with a life-limiting neurological condition called Multiple Sclerosis (MS). The disease affects their central nervous system, depriving them of their ability to perform simple everyday tasks like walking, cooking, bathing or the strength to hold a child. Their day-to-day struggle remains hidden and performing everyday tasks can feel like scaling an invisible mountain.

One can’t see and feel the burden MS patients carry. To bring a spotlight on MS, Roche Pharma India, in collaboration with the Multiple Sclerosis Society of India (MSSI) presents Walk In My Shoes - a public health awareness initiative to highlight the often invisible struggles of individuals living with this life-limiting neurological condition.

Visit the #WalkInMyShoes simulation zone installed in Bangalore at Brookfield Ecospace Park, Bellandur (Near 1C), from 20 to 22 August to experience what it means to live with MS. One can also visit the simulation zone in Mumbai Phoenix MarketCity, Kurla (Atrium 5, LG Floor), from 22 to 24 August and at Select City Walk Mall (H&M Wing, Ground floor), Saket, New Delhi, from 22 to 24 August. These simulation zones offer visitors ‘education through experience’ by re-creating a sensory experience of four of the most commonly occurring MS symptoms - loss of balance, motor impairment, blurry vision and loss of sensitivity, while bringing to the forefront the everyday hardships faced by MS patients.

You can also lend your voice by sharing your support to their invisible struggles using #WalkInMyShoes Each post, tweet or reel helps shatter the silence around MS and ensure no one living with MS ever feels unseen. In addition to the sensory simulation kiosks, www.walkinmyshoes.in - a knowledge hub for authentic, credible and medically verified information on MS is also launched. www.walkinmyshoes.in aims to become a trusted digital platform, playing a crucial role in elevating public literacy about MS, while empowering individuals to understand and act upon evidence based health information.

“At Roche, our mission goes far beyond medicines. We are deeply committed to reimagining how chronic and life-altering conditions like Multiple Sclerosis are perceived, diagnosed, and managed,” said Rajji Mehdwan, Managing Director and CEO - India and Neighbouring Markets, Roche Pharma. “With #WalkInMyShoes, we are not just raising awareness, we are igniting empathy, amplifying patient voices, and driving meaningful change across the healthcare ecosystem. By partnering with MSSI, we are uniting science with compassion to break the silence around MS, champion timely intervention, and push for an inclusive, patient-centric approach where no individual living with MS is left behind. This is not just a campaign—it’s a clarion call to action.”

MS often strikes between the ages of 20 and 40, a time when individuals are building careers, pursuing passions, and starting families. It is the leading cause of non-traumatic disability among young adults and, if untreated, can progress to severe and life-limiting disability. Women, who are two to three times more likely than men to develop MS, face additional worries: how the disease will impact their ability to conceive, carry a pregnancy, and care for a child.

“The entire MS ecosystem is riddled with challenges. From dearth of accurate disease prevalence data, and inadequate insurance coverage, to lack of clear disability assessment guidelines and insufficient number of specialists treating MS.”, says Arun Mohan, Vice President - MSSI. “Early induction of high efficacy therapies reduces the need for multiple hospital visits, rehabilitation, and long-term care, thereby easing pressure on the health system and freeing up infrastructure. The goal in treating MS should primarily be to slow disease progression, halt disability while also having a more convenient dosing schedule that leads to better treatment adherence, better quality of life with less disruption to work, education, or family responsibilities. The Walk In My Shoes campaign is a step forward in this direction.”

Dr Pramod Krishnan, HOD, Neurology, at Manipal Hospital Bangalore, stated, "We are at a transformative moment in the treatment of Multiple Sclerosis. The traditional one-size-fits-all approach is rapidly being replaced, and now we consider factors like genetics, MS type—whether relapsing or progressive—and even lifestyle to choose the right therapy. The goal is not just to delay disability, but to proactively modify the disease course by using high efficacy therapies. In a country like India, where delayed diagnosis and disparity in access to care are common, we must build greater public and physician awareness, invest in healthcare infrastructure, and ensure all patients receive timely, appropriate care. A public health awareness initiative like #WalkInMyshoes holds the key to improving long-term outcomes for people living with MS by creating solidarity and empathy.”