Dear Readers,
Welcome to the inaugural newsletter of the Weill Cornell MS Center! It is with immense joy, excitement and hope that we bring this to you.
This has been a long time coming, it's part of a patient centered initiative we are implementing at our center, recognizing the multi-dimensional aspects of patient care and the vital role of community. We hope launching this newsletter brings together the MS Center's 3500+ strong member community.
The format of the newsletter was decided upon after several conversations with our patients, who gave us very thoughtful insight, as well as discussions with staff. However, as we delve into this work, we want to acknowledge that our newsletter is intended to be an open discussion, continuing to evolve based on feedback and ideas that patients share with us.
The newsletter starts with a News and Views section. This will be authored by one of the faculty at the center. Topics presented will be wide ranging, covering treatment to symptom management, rehabilitation, diet and nutrition, as well as any new research or development in the field of MS and related disorders.
Next, we have our Community Call section, which will feature narrative and creative content that our readers submit. These stories would be written by people living with MS or by their families/loved ones. Literary compositions and art by our patients are also welcomed. We hope highlighting these stories will help us learn, empathize, and relate to one another, while fostering a strong sense of community. These varied perspectives would provide us with much insight into life with this disease. The topics can range from one's journey with MS, a source of inspiration/strength, or anything else of relevance that the writer wishes to convey.
The third part of the newsletter is a Q&A and Suggestions section, where patients can submit questions that will be answered by our practitioners in the subsequent issue. This space is also open for people with MS to submit recommendations for any resources/ tools/ practices they have found helpful for navigating their condition and taking care of their mental health. Any resources submitted here will be added to our Resource list at the bottom of the newsletter, where you can also find our Events and Updates section.
And of course, there was unanimous consent that we should have a Fur Friend of the Month, as our pets bring so much joy and uplift our spirit with their love. If you would like your pet featured, we would love for you to submit a picture and a short description.
Now, since this is the first issue, we would like to present a brief introduction to us.
Dr. Timothy Vartanian is the Director of Weill Cornell MS Center. He sees patients with MS. His research interests center on regeneration of the myelin internode in multiple sclerosis, preventing axonal and neuronal injury, and defining the complicated interactions between the immune and nervous systems.
Dr. Susan Gauthier is Associate Professor of Clinical Neurology and Director of Research at the MS Center. She sees patients with MS and her research includes studying how MRI and PET scans can help doctors better understand MS, find new treatment options, and predict how the disease will progress. She heads the Clinical Trial program at the MS Center and, together with Bill Nikolov, supervises research coordinators Hannah Schwartz, Kimberly Markowitz, and Iliana Pliska-Bloch.
Dr. Jai Perumal is Associate Professor of Clinical Neurology. She is Director of Clinical Operations at the Weill Cornell MS Center and Director of Multiple Sclerosis Service at NYP Queens. Dr. Perumal sees patients with MS and related disorders in Manhattan and Queens. Her research interests include disease phenotypes, therapeutics and ethnic influences in MS.
Dr. Ulrike Kaunzner was trained in Germany, France, and the US. She specializes in managing MS and other neuroinflammatory conditions, while also being involved in research. She also runs the neurology resident clinic and the MS fellowship program. She values learning from her patients and takes an integrative approach to care.
Dr. Amit Kohli is an Assistant Professor of Clinical Neurology. He specializes in Multiple Sclerosis and related autoimmune disorders. The goal of his practice is to provide compassionate care which places the patient as a person first while delivering the highest levels of expertise available in diagnostic and therapeutic strategies.
Stacy Smith is our nurse practitioner, Michelle Brown is our clinic nurse, and Oasia Holback is our infusion nurse. Our practice manager Therese McEntee supervises all administrative staff, including Ebony C. Ali-Williams, Jennifer Boston, Janelle Brunson, Olivia Lopez, Triesta Ellington, Mercedes Fernandez, and Mira Genkovska.
As we introduce ourselves, we greatly miss our colleague, Dr Nancy Nealon who passed away in 2024. Dr. Nealon’s dedication to patients, undiminished enthusiasm for learning and devotion to being a teacher and mentor will continue to inspire us.
Lastly, we would like to take this opportunity to thank you for trusting us with your care. We are honored and humbled by it and will always strive to do our best.
Sincerely,
Faculty and staff at Weill Cornell Medicine Multiple Sclerosis Clinical Care and Research Center
A word from the director of the MS Center, Dr Vartanian:
“To the people we care for at the Weill Cornell MS Center along with their families and friends, I’m thrilled to announce that we’re embarking on a concerted effort to provide our community with highly relevant information about MS, NMO, MOGAD, and other autoimmune illnesses affecting the nervous system. I invite you to check out our newsletter. Over the next few months, we’ll launch MS relevant content on Instagram, Twitter, and through podcasts. Our goal is straightforward to strengthen wellness amongst people with MS.”