Roche in collaboration with MSSI present ‘Walk In My Shoes’ initiative to bring a spotlight on Multiple Sclerosis
Kolkata: 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.
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.
One can visit the #WalkInMyShoes simulation zone installed at Select City Walk Mall, New Delhi; Bangalore at Brookfield Ecospace Park, Bellandur (Near 1C), and at Mumbai Phoenix MarketCity, Kurla (Atrium 5, LG Floor) from 22 to 24 August to experience what it means to live with MS.
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.
Rajji Mehdwan, Managing Director & CEO – India & Neighbouring Markets, Roche Pharma, said, “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. With #WalkInMyShoes, we are not just raising awareness, we are igniting empathy, amplifying patient voices, and driving meaningful change across the healthcare ecosystem.”
Rajji Mehdwan added, “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.
Bipasha Gupta, Chairperson MSSI – Delhi, said, “Multiple Sclerosis is a complex neurological condition of young individuals and is considered a progressive disease, as symptoms tend to worsen over time causing disability. Early treatment is a must which can slow down disease progression and reduce the risk of irreversible disability. People living with MS in India face a multitude of challenges. From public awareness, absence of fair and comprehensive insurance coverage, to hurdles in accessing disability benefits due to lack of clear guidelines.”
Only a fraction of insurance plans cover chronic conditions like MS, leaving patients to bear overwhelming out-of-pocket expenses and navigate a system that fails to meet their needs. Public awareness initiatives like #WalkInMyShoes are imperative in raising voices, creating awareness, elevating societal understanding and advocating for change to deliver equitable care.
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