Join us for Community Offerings


Closing the Gap on MS Care with an Integrative Approach

Dr. Susan Payrovi, certified in Functional Medicine and Medical Acupuncture, is the founder of TRUE Medicine, an online wellness program for people living with multiple sclerosis. She is a physician practicing Integrative and Functional Medicine at Stanford’s Center for Integrative Medicine. Currently she is a clinical assistant professor at Stanford University in the department of Anesthesiology, Perioperative and Pain Medicine.

Join us for a 4-week series, which will include discussions with Dr. Payrovi on Hormone Health for MS, Gut Health for MS, Autoimmunity Detoxification Support for MS, and MS Fatigue. 

Mondays - Virtually 11:00am – 12:00pm PDT 

  • June 3rd
  • June 10th
  • June 17th 
  • June 24th 

To register, contact: 916.453.7966 or [email protected]

Book Club

Join us in 2024 for bi-monthly book club meetings with the John A. Schafer, MD Multiple Sclerosis Achievement Center. Read/listen to all or a portion of the book and connect with others in the MS community to discuss or just listen in! The meetings will be held virtually via Zoom.

Book Club is free and open to members and non-members of the John A. Schafer, MD Multiple Sclerosis Achievement Center.

  • Monday, February 5th, 1-2pm = The Woman in Me, Britney Spears
  • Monday, April 1st, 1-2pm = The Invisible Life of Addie LaRue, V.E. Schwab
  • Monday, June 3rd, 1-2pm = Swamp Story, Dave Berry
  • Monday, August 5th, 1-2pm = The Mine, John Crandall
  • Monday, October 7th, 1-2pm = Vanderbilt: The Rise and Fall of an American Dynasty, Anderson Cooper and Katherine Howe
  • ***Monday, December 9th, 11am-12pm = Fates and Furies, Lauren Groff

***Please note the time difference of December’s meeting

Pain Management and MS

Dr. Melanie Ward completed medical school at West Virginia University. She then completed her neurology residency and MS fellowship at University of Virginia, serving as Co-Chief Resident during her final year of residency. She is now an Assistant Professor and the Division Chief for the MS and Clinical Neuroimmunology section at the West Virginia University, Rockefeller Neuroscience Institute. Dr. Ward has also been involved in leadership initiatives for the American Academy of Neurology, including the Women Leading in Neurology program. Dr. Ward is passionate about MS care, including symptom management and access to care for underserved people with MS.

Monday, May 6, 2024
11AM - 12PM PDT
To register, contact: 916.453.7966 or [email protected]

Writing as Healing

Have you ever considered expressive writing as a form of healing? Writing has been proven to have a positive, healing effect, and we are pleased to welcome John Crandall, author, educator, and artist, to facilitate this free writing workshop. Join us virtually to experience a creative, artistic, and confidential form of sharing the written voice.

Writing As Healing is open to members and non-members of the John A. Schafer, MD Multiple Sclerosis Achievement Center.

Every 2nd Monday of the month
1-3 p.m.