Thrive and Rise Above MS

A Culturally Responsive Health & Wellness Education Program

Program Overview

Thrive and Rise Above MS is an eight-week community-based health promotion program designed for African American adults ages 22–50 living with multiple sclerosis. The program addresses disparities in MS education and support through three interconnected wellness pillars: nutrition, adaptive movement, and mental health.

The program is designed to strengthen participants’ knowledge, confidence, and self-management skills while providing culturally responsive education that recognizes the social, cultural, and environmental factors that influence health behavior.

Target Population & Health Issue

The program focuses on African American adults ages 22–50 living with multiple sclerosis. This population was selected because research demonstrates an important and historically underrecognized burden of MS among African Americans, including disparities in diagnosis, access to specialty care, disease progression, and disability.

Thrive and Rise Above MS responds to these disparities by combining health education with practical self-management strategies and community-based support.

Program Goals

Health Behavior Framework

The Health Belief Model is the basis of the initiative’s behavioral theory. The curriculum incorporates perceived vulnerability, perceived seriousness, perceived benefits, perceived barriers, and self-efficacy to enhance participants’ understanding of their health risks and increase their confidence in adopting self-management strategies.

PEN-3 Cultural Framework

The PEN-3 framework is integrated to guarantee the program’s cultural responsiveness. Familial connections, spiritual convictions, communal assistance, and cultural traditions are regarded as significant determinants of health behavior, rather than merely demographic factors.

Eight-Week Curriculum

Week 1 — Foundation
MS education; personal goal setting; baseline survey; introduction to Health Belief Model.

Weeks 2–3 — Nutrition
Healthy nutrition support, culturally relevant food modifications, cooking demonstrations, and herbs & spices.

Weeks 4–5 — Movement
Adaptive yoga, chair exercises, mobility techniques, and personalized movement options.

Weeks 6–7 — Support
Mental health education, stress-management strategies, peer support, mindfulness, caregiver support

Week 8 — Evaluation & Future Planning
Focus group, post-program survey, review of personal goals and development of individualized action plan

Communication & Cultural Responsiveness

Trusted community channels such as African American churches, community centers, healthcare organizations, social media, email, and SMS messaging are used for program communication. Communication materials are provided in clear, culturally responsive language that emphasizes empowerment, self-management, and community support.

Recruitment and awareness materials include the Thrive and Rise Above MS Kickoff Flyer, weekly reminders, community outreach, and faith- and community-based partnerships.

Action Plan & Implementation

Thrive and Rise Above MS is an eight-week health promotion program delivered within a 13-week implementation timeline. The full timeline includes four weeks of preparation and advocacy planning, eight weeks of participant programming, and one week for final data analysis and stakeholder reporting.

Advocacy & Policy

Thrive and Rise Above MS’ advocacy portion recommends a Community MS Wellness Access Policy to improve the environments surrounding participants. The policy urges community organizations to improve accessibility, provide current resource and referral information, facilitate virtual participation where possible, and utilize culturally responsive, non-stigmatizing communication.

We target church leaders, community-center administrators, healthcare partners and other organizational decision-makers with advocacy efforts that can support sustainable improvements in access and community wellness resources.

 

Lesson Plans

Purpose

Two facilitator lesson plans were developed based on the eight-week curriculum Thrive and Rise Above MS . Each 90-minute session includes measurable learning objectives, interactive educational activities, participant materials, assessment tools, and a 10-point competency scale . Instruction includes health literacy, cultural sensitivity, fatigue, mobility limitations, symptom variability, and a hybrid delivery model.

Lesson Plan 1

Build a supportive plate

Culturally Relevant Food Swaps for Living With MS
This 90-minute nutrition lesson helps participants make practical, culturally responsive food choices without abandoning meaningful food traditions. Participants discover how to build a supportive plate, recognize realistic food and beverage substitutes, and develop a seven-day nutrition action step. The lesson emphasizes health literacy, meal planning, decision-making, goal setting, and MS self-management.

Key learning activities include:

• “Keep It, Change It, Pair It”
• Food-card sorting
• Culturally relevant food-swap practice
• Build-one-meal challenge
• Seven-day nutrition action planning

Lesson Plan 2

Move Your Way

A Safe 15-Minute Adaptive Movement Routine for MS
This 90-minute movement lesson helps participants develop confidence in safe, symptom-responsive physical activity. Participants learn how to assess their movement environment, use the Rating of Perceived Exertion (RPE) scale and talk test, select seated or supported-standing adaptations, and complete or direct a 15-minute adaptive movement routine.

Key learning activities include:

• Movement Confidence Line
• Safety and readiness assessment
• RPE and talk-test practice
• Guided 15-minute adaptive movement routine
• Adaptation coaching
• Seven-day movement action planning
  

Supporting Program Documents

Below are selected supporting materials for your direct use. At the top of this page you will find the entire Thrive and Rise Above MS Program Planning Framework, inclusive of the needs assessment, communication strategy, implementation plan, evaluation framework, advocacy plan, logic model, and supporting appendices.