Multiple sclerosis is a chronic disease of the central nervous system that affects more than 300 new people every single day, manifesting itself more frequently between the ages of 20 and 40. When one of these young people receives the diagnosis, the first thought is immediately "wheelchair". However today thanks to the advances in research, at least 75% of patients with MS will not need it.

Novartis commercializes a high-efficacy treatment that really enhances patient’s quality of life. It’s critical for them to raise awareness and consideration among newly-diagnosed patients about this opportunity that represents a new future, cause an early treatment allows to significantly improve the long-term course of the disease, delaying the progression.

We needed a brand-new creative idea to start to reach all patients and let them aware of the new future of MS. An idea that could make a stand, create noise, and earn media attention.

Turning the most relevant fear of every newly-diagnosed MS patient into a new message of hope and freedom. This is the heart of the creative idea of Willchair, a co-creation project that involved MS patients and renowed designer Derek Castiglioni.

We physically deconstructed a wheelchair to help them leave this fear behind. Inspired by the progress of science and the stories of every patient, we then reused some pieces to create a new design chair.

To underline how today it is possible to anticipate the times of the diagnosis by 10 times, we used 10 spokes of the wheels. Outward arms to explain how important it is to embrace the new high-efficacy treatments. The wheel became the back of the chair to encourage patients to leave fear behind, while the structure features a continuous line, representing the importance of following HCPs recommendations.

Talking with patients we understood that the greatest fear for any newly diagnosed patient is to end up in a wheelchair. However, the stigma existing towards this immediate association remain a legacy of the past since today the majority of patients, can lead a normal life with MS. A life free from this anxiety that should no longer be the first thing associated to this pathology.

For this reason we needed a strong iconic experience to invite patients to push this fear behind them and start embracing a new life within their MS journey. That’s why we looked for something that patients could touch with their own hands.

By sitting on Willchair, every patient can look at the future in a different way. They can express their own will and pursuing it with confidence and courage every day, cause a different future is now possible.

Willchair premiered on 1-May-2022 at the most iconic live concert for young people in Rome with National TV-Coverage. It was presented on the stage and that was the opportunity to make it known throughout Italy. Numerous artists have contributed to the popularity of the chair helping us to reach young patients around Italy on social channels.

Willchair was then presented at SIN 2022, the most important event for Italian neurologists where every clinician could deep dive the scientific messages behind it, and understand the most important fears of their own patients.

Willchair was then showcased on a tour in the AISM (Patient association) centers to meet patients, collect their stories, giving them the opportunity to speak with the most influential KOLs.

Willchair has followed patients throughout their journey, with special activations in selected hospitals. A dedicated website helped them to learn about MS symptoms and new therapeutic opportunities.

The Willchair campaign was a great success during the Live Concert, it was one of the most talked and shared. It was live premiered in front of more than 2 millions of Italians with an overall impression of 80 millions.

The campaign generated media interest and helped Novartis to be seen as an innovator in neurology on how to communicate with both patients and clinicians. At the SIN event (the most famous Italian congress for neurologist) more then 2400 HCPs got in touch with Willchair. The Novartis’s booth was one of the most visited at the congress, with long lines to enter and experience the Willchair message.

During the patient events hundreds of patients experienced live our Willchair with the possibility to have direct conversation with the most influential representative key opinion leader in MS.

But most importantly, Novartis helped every newly-diagnosed patient to reimagine their own future, beyond MS