Talking about your feelings, fears, and experiences is an important way to process any major life event, especially after an MS diagnosis. But it can be hard to find the right person to talk to. Friends and family want to help but don’t always understand what you’re going through.
That’s why we created We Talk MS. Beyond a forum or a support group, We Talk MS can connect you with other people going through similar experiences 24/7. Whether you want to chat about your future living with MS or are making peace with a loved one’s diagnosis, you can connect on We Talk MS with someone to talk to.
What Is We Talk MS?
We Talk MS is a mentoring program, community forum, safe space, and supportive environment all rolled into one. Our aim is to create a place where peers in our MS community can connect with each other informally, share information, and support one another.
This initiative is hosted by the world-leading mentoring platform PushFar. It’s this mentorship program that makes We Talk MS unique. You can be connected with someone further along in their journey with MS and get practical advice and encouragement. We’re always here for you, but a mentor is someone who can help guide you, from experience, as you consider decisions about your health, talk to an employer about your diagnosis, or advocate for a loved one.
You can also choose to be a mentor to someone in the community. Mentoring can give your confidence and mental health a boost by helping others, but there are more concrete benefits as well. You may look at MS differently, learn new things, and build lasting friendships. Plus, you can look back and say that you helped empower someone in a meaningful way.
We Talk MS isn’t just a mentorship program; it’s a community. It gives you the opportunity to connect virtually when you need support. There are ways to have one-on-one conversations, post in community threads, and access different resources. We hope that building peer-to-peer connections and sharing lived experiences with others will empower our community.
“Knowing there’s an online space specifically for MS warriors makes me feel safe sharing my own experiences without fear of judgement, because they know what it’s like and can validate that what I‘m going through is okay.” – Marielle, lives with MS
Find out why others have joined We Talk MS by reading their stories here!
What Can We Talk MS Offer You?
We Talk MS has both web and mobile apps, so you can access it in a way that works for you. As a virtual forum, you can connect with people across Canada without having to leave the house. Whether you think of a question in the middle of lunch or need some advice before heading to work in the morning, you can jump on We Talk MS and connect. You can find different features that support the many ways you can use We Talk MS.
Mentorship
We Talk MS can suggest a mentoring relationship for you so that you’re connected with the right person. Once you have that connection, you can use the platform’s features to build the relationship. Video and voice calls can be made directly through the PushFar platform. This lets you work with your mentor while keeping personal details, such as phone numbers, private.
One-on-One Connection
If you don’t want to work with a mentor, you can still connect with people one on one. You can create a profile to tell other community members about yourself. Search the forum to find people of similar age, in the same area, or who have similar hobbies. You can reach out by direct message to start building connections.
Questions and Conversations
Questions and Conversations is the place to get answers. Post a question and get answers from the combined wisdom of our community. Or share your knowledge with others, so don’t be afraid to voice your opinions and experiences.
All We Talk MS members can view, post, and reply to community threads. This makes it a great place to make connections and build friendships.
Resource Library
As a We Talk MS user, you also have access to our resource library. This has instructions on how to use and navigate We Talk MS. It also has information about MS along with additional support.
We Talk MS is a thorough resource, but it isn’t a crisis program. If you need urgent help, contact 9-1-1 or go to the nearest hospital. There are also mental health resources for people of all ages available across Canada.
How To Sign Up
We Talk MS is for people awaiting a diagnosis of MS, people living with MS and those who are connected to them. It’s open to family members, partners, caregivers, and friends of people with MS. The only restrictions are that you must be at least 18 years of age and live in Canada to join. Currently, the program is only available in English, but we’re working on making it available in French too.
To sign up, simply click on the link to register. You’ll be directed to the registration page where you can create a profile and select your preferences.
You can download the PushFar app from ITunes or the Android app store and log in using the credentials you’ve created. Or access PushFar through the internet browser of your choice.
Need more information about We Talk MS, how to register, or how it works? Send us an email at wetalkms@mscanada.ca
Not the program you’re looking for? We’ve got you covered! Here’s a list of other support options you might like. And if you have any questions, you can reach out to our MS Navigators who can help you find a program that’s right for you!