GENEVA and BRUSSELS, January 12, 2011 /PRNewswire/ -- Merck Serono, a division of Merck KGaA, Darmstadt, Germany, will premiere today the international short film MS: It's a Marathon...Not a Sprint in Brussels, Belgium.

This unique event marks the extraordinary collaboration of the Real MS: Your Story competition winner Sarah Mead and award-winning director Robin Sheppard. Through the Real MS campaign, they have come together to produce a powerful and inspiring short film to show the world that life with multiple sclerosis (MS) can be redefined in a positive and fulfilling way.

"This has been an amazing experience and I have loved every minute," Sarah said. "Being diagnosed with multiple sclerosis is not an easy thing, but I am proud to have been able to share my own personal experiences through this film and I hope that it inspires others and shows how much is possible when you put your heart and mind into achieving your goals. It takes courage and vision, but the rewards are immeasurable."

Real MS: Your Story is the first element of an international campaign that aims to raise global awareness of MS and demonstrate how life can and could be improved for people living with MS, and their families and carers.

In recognition of the burden MS has on both people living with MS, their loved ones and the economy, several expert speakers in the field of MS convened at the premiere to discuss the issues surrounding MS, including inconsistencies in the standard of care and socioeconomic burden, and forge a way forward for patients and carers alike.

"Multiple sclerosis can be a debilitating disease, making patient support and disease awareness very important," said John Golding, President of the European Multiple Sclerosis Platform (EMSP). "Stories such as that of Sarah Mead's are incredibly inspirational for everyone in the multiple sclerosis community and we need to make sure that there are many, many more of these in the future."

Sarah Mead's winning script concept was selected from over 100 entries from around the world by an international judging panel made up of global experts in MS and film, including Dr Chan, Helena Jidborg Alexander (MS Trust), Sue Farringdon (MS Society), Del Thomas (MS Nurse), patient ambassador Nathalie Blanc and director Robin Sheppard.

The Real MS campaign comprises a series of inspirational educational competitions throughout 2010 and into 2011. Real MS hopes to give a voice to those whose lives have been touched by MS, and celebrate their journeys, achievements and ideas for the future management of the disease.

The unpredictability of MS means that people have to reinvent their lives every day to overcome the daily challenges and reminders of their condition. There may not yet be a cure, but effective treatments are available and other ones are coming which might change the life of patients. Ongoing research and development will hopefully empower people living with MS to get on with the life they envision for themselves without having to think about the daily difficulties that can remind them of the disease.

To find out more about the campaign and life with MS, and to access footage from the world premiere, please visit http://www.realmsvoices.com