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How can I help?

You can choose to become a tissue donor. Agreeing to donate tissue to research into the causes of MS after your death is a sign of your commitment to a greater understanding of this condition. Peter Cardy, chief executive, and Michael Willis, chairman, of the MS Society, along with the members of the tissue bank team are among the first who have pledged their tissue to the new UK MS Tissue Bank.

If you wish to pledge your tissue for research, whether you have MS or are a 'control', please contact either the UK MS Tissue Bank at Charing Cross Hospital, or the MS Society Helpline (see panel below).

You will be sent an information pack containing details of the new tissue bank, an explanation of how your tissue will be collected, and a pledge form. As soon as the tissue bank receives your details, they will write back to confirm the information and send a donor card.

If you have already signed up to donate tissue to one of the old brain banks, you will be contacted shortly and asked if you would like to pledge your tissue to the new UK MS Tissue Bank.

Researchers who use tissue samples in their experiments often want to relate their findings to the clinical history of the person who provided the tissue. Members of the bank team will therefore contact you or your general practitioner to find out about your clinical history. This is confidential information and will be kept secure on a central database at Charing Cross Hospital.

Will I be kept informed?

At your request the tissue bank will send you regular newsletters to keep you in touch with the progress of the bank and of developments in research projects using donated material. The tissue bank team will also ask for your comments on a variety of issues. The team always welcomes any suggestions on how they can improve their service to donors and to researchers. This regular contact will also allow the tissue bank to update their records with any changes in your circumstances. The staff will be delighted to talk at local MS Society meetings to explain their work and answer any questions.

The extent to which family members wish to receive information on the outcomes of research carried out on tissue collected can be discussed at any time with the manager of the tissue bank.

Wherever possible your heir will receive an acknowledgement and thanks from the tissue bank.

Thank you for considering whether you would like to make this special contribution. Take time to reflect on what such a unique gift will mean coming from you, and how precious its value will be in MS research.

FURTHER INFORMATION:
If you would like a copy of the Tissue Bank's Information Pack please contact us at the address below.

page 1 - introduction
page 2 - setting up the bank
page 3 - what will the tissue be used for?
page 4 - how does the tissue bank do its work?
page 5 - how can I help?