The Multiple Sclerosis Association of Vojvodina was first registered in 1985 in Zrenjanin. In June 1991, a decision was made to revive the work of the Association and register it as a business entity in the Serbian Business Registers Agency. Franja Crnjakovic was elected as the president of the presidency.
In the spring of the following year, Frano Renic took over the management of the Association.
In the same year, the formation of clubs on the territory of Vojvodina began. The first club set up in Novi Knezevac in 1992, was followed by clubs in Subotica, Vrsac, Zrenjanin, Sombor, Becej, Backa Palanka. Starting from 1997, these clubs evolved into associations. Also new ones were founded, and from 2014 until today, 14 associations with close to 1,000 members actively operate within the Association. In June 2018, Frano Renic resigned due to health reasons, and Jasna Brancic was elected as the president.
In 1997, the Association started its publishing activity, and the “Nas Most” (Our Bridge) magazine has been continuously published ever since.
The Association’s mission is to build connections with the community, to inter-connect its organizations and set up other connections aimed at improving the quality of life of people diagnosed with multiple sclerosis.
The Association implements its mission with the support of the Ministry of Labour, Employment, Veteran and Social Affairs – Department for the Protection of Persons with Disabilities, by removing barriers that make people affected by MS feel lonely and socially isolated; by raising awareness about the invisible symptoms of multiple sclerosis and their hidden but significant effects on daily activities; by promoting self-care; providing assistance in the form of information about rights and various trainings; by gathering members in the Association’s member organizations; creative workshops; by engaging members in actions organized in local communities; kinesiological and occupational workshops; psycho-social assistance to both persons affected by MS and their family members, and by other activities.
“What used to be my hobby, became my occupation, but also a therapy for me, to dive into a different world, imaginary, in which there are no limits. Illness cannot take away creativity. Each of us has some talent, we just need to become aware of it and let ourselves be guided by it. Today, my paintings can be found all over the world, and what is a great recognition for me as an artist, besides the awards, is that five of my works stand in the Museum of Naïve and Intuitive Art in Bulgaria. I travel a lot and my fellow artists are familiar with my illness, and I have never felt different among them.”
President of the Association, Svetlana Miladic
