Project Wellbeing will give more Australians access to life-changing MS Wellbeing Centres.
Join Project Wellbeing today
You can help to build and expand future MS Plus Wellbeing Centres across Australia so that more Australians can access specialist support and services.
Right now, there are more than 33,000 people living with multiple sclerosis (MS) in Australia.
They all deserve to get the holistic care needed to better their MS symptoms.
Please help to build and expand the MS Plus Wellbeing Centres, make more research like Dr Phu’s happen, and help people to live well with MS.
On this page:
The vision for the MS Plus Wellbeing Centres
The overall vision is enough specialist MS Plus wellbeing centres across Australia, for all who need them.
The Wellbeing Centres are a crucial component of MS Plus’s vision to provide a safe and supportive environment for individuals living with multiple sclerosis (MS). Our goal is to create multiple spaces where the growing number of people with MS can access a range of specialist supports that target both their physical and mental wellbeing.
Dr Phu explains Project Wellbeing
Dr Phu has been working continuously as a researcher and clinician in MS rehabilitation for the last 21 years. His focus is on clinical trials to address unanswered questions in MS, and to restore mobility to people living with MS. Today, he is answering some common questions about Project Wellbeing.
Dr Phu“I’m a researcher and clinician who specialises in the rehabilitation of movement and mobility for people with MS. It’s not just physio.”
Five pathways to wellbeing. Three new Wellbeing Centres. One chance to make them happen.
Help build and expand the new Wellbeing Centres to support the five pathways to wellbeing:
Connection
- to community. The Wellbeing Centres are a space for people living with MS to come together and share their experiences.
"Everyone's got MS or another neurological condition at the MS Plus Wellbeing Centre. So, you're not judged, you're not having people look at you as some sorry soul. We have a good laugh." - Alison, living with MS
Activity
- new state-of-the-art gym equipment will help people meet their rehabilitation activity goals, improving MS symptoms and mental health.
"With specialised equipment, we can offer people with MS, at different stages of the disease, exercise based on their level of disability. This can help them to improve their symptoms." - Dr Phu, Clinician and Researcher at MS Plus
Learning
- the centres will educate people living with MS and their loved ones on symptom management, and will facilitate social workshops and classess
"Besides the exercise, we will also have an area dedicated to yoga and dancing groups for people with MS, especially for those in wheelchairs." - Dr Phu, Clinician and Researcher at MS Plus
Giving
- Wellbeing Centres will allow people to give their time to volunteering, supporting each other and working on regaining employment.
"When I couldn't work anymore because of my MS, I felt my worth in society had dropped." - Alison, living with MS
Taking notice
- research at MS Wellbeing Centres will help people who access services to get the very latest in treatments and raise the standard of care.
"Without Dr Phu and MS Plus, I think I'd be using a wheelchair by now." - Alison, living with MS
Three phases of Project Wellbeing
The Lidcombe MS Plus Wellbeing Centre’s build is currently underway, with the goal of opening in early 2024. Only 33% of the funding for this life-changing structure has come from the government – meaning we really need the support of kind people like you.
Also currently underway is a state-of-the-art facility in Footscray, and next will be a Wellbeing Centre in Hobart. These will be the first-ever specialist MS Plus Wellbeing Centres and will bring enormous change to the lives of people living with MS in NSW, VIC and Tasmania.
Your help is needed to equip and develop each of these sites with:
- Large open spaces for people to connect with each other and discuss their needs and symptoms
- Specialist multiple sclerosis accommodation so that people can access support and care from regional areas, with their carers and loved ones
- Purpose-built specialist MS focused gyms with air conditioning, for people to use for rehabilitation and regaining of mobility
- DDA-compliant change facilities to make it easy for those with mobility loss to use the spaces
- Eight therapy areas for people to receive whole-of-person support to improve their MS symptoms
- Large multipurpose class spaces for classes, workshops, presentations and group activities for connection, activity and mental health
- ‘Sensory gardens’, open courtyards, kids’ play areas, level access and undercover parking to make the spaces as friendly as possible for people with neurological conditions.
Through the building of the MS Plus Wellbeing Centres at Lidcombe, Footscray and Hobart, MS Plus hopes to transform thousands of people’s lives living with MS and other neurological conditions when these MS Plus Wellbeing Centres are all completed by 2024.
Where your investment goes
Programs and services
- Occupational Therapy
- Exercise Physiology
- Physiotherapy
- Dietetics
- Vision to include Podiatry
- Vision to include Speech Pathology
- Newly diagnosed support
- Peer Support
- Social work support
- Financial wellbeing support
- Expert nursing support
- Support for family and carers
- SDA and respite care
- MyAgedCare navigation
- NDIS navigation
- ESS
- Key Worker support
Wellbeing Centre
Furniture, fixtures and equipment:
- Gym equipment
- Plinths in the consult rooms
- Equipment for staff
- Telehealth equipment
- Audio visual equipment (for education etc)
- Equipment for kids play area
- Ceiling Hoists for gym, consult rooms
- Plants internal and external landscaping
MS research
- Social and Applied Research in collaboration with MS Australia
- Collaboration with other organisations
- Translational research Dr Phu
- Macquarie University, Allied Health, physiology study
Supported Disability Accommodation
- Lidcombe Furniture, Fixtures and Equipment
- Specialist bathroom fittings
- Home automation (entry doors)
- Security systems (intercom, cameras)
- Cookware, cutlery
- Plants internal and external landscaping