Tania Pilz, a social entrepreneur from Latin America and Austria, would describe herself as a creative mind and patient advocate. She applied to the Fempreneurship Academy mainly because the program was designed for women with disabilities and chronic conditions, which resonated with her on many levels. Her original idea was to further develop the international Multiple Sclerosis (MS) community in Austria – an online community that she started for Multiple Sclerosis patients. However, with the input gained during the program, her idea evolved in several directions: from broadening the concept and creating a network for international women with disabilities and chronic conditions to becoming financially independent as a communications expert.
The main challenge I face when developing my entrepreneurial ideas is doing it on my own. Finding a network of like-minded people with the same energy and motivation can be very exhausting. Although my original idea remains active as an online community, I plan to let it rest and return to it once I have gained more experience and different perspectives, allowing me to develop my plan further — hopefully with more support. She is currently investing her energy and motivation in projects that bring her much joy, such as being a young people’s advocate and Executive Committee Representative at the European Multiple Sclerosis Platform, as well as focusing on her regular job. Her engagement at the EMSP has allowed her to learn more about patient advocacy.
The most crucial part for me is having an idea with potential and the willingness to invest a lot of time in developing it. We often have the misconception that an idea alone will quickly bring monetary gain. However, it requires significant time investment, resources, and money. My motto for continuing my efforts is to only invest time in projects that bring me joy. If an idea is consuming your energy and motivation, let it rest for a while. Observe it from a distance, and return to it once you have gained a different perspective.
Her engagement in diverse patient advocacy projects relates closely to her original idea. It was in fact, during one of our meetings at the European Multiple Sclerosis Platform, that I developed the idea of starting a community on my own. As a person living with Multiple Sclerosis, it’s important to me to not only do something that benefits me but also benefits many others. This is why I am committed to using this platform and my voice to talk about young people living with Multiple Sclerosis as well as diversity and minority inclusion in the Multiple Sclerosis community.
One of the highlights of her advocacy engagement has been joining the European Youth Event (EYE) in Strasbourg, as part of the EMSP’s Young People’s Network. The EYE, an event organized by the European Parliament, brings young people from all over Europe together to get involved in diverse initiatives and discussions about their needs.
As young people living with Multiple Sclerosis, we brought our perspectives to the mix and put topics such as health, security, and climate center stage. We were so-called “living books” and spoke in front of hundreds of young people. As an advocate for security, I spoke about my own experiences, highlighting the need for safety, social security, employment, education, housing, and access to health care for young people living with Multiple Sclerosis – from an intersectional perspective.
Austria is still improving in this regard. MS societies and stakeholders are only slowly including young people in their agendas. However, for me, it’s not only about including people in the community but also in the social system, research, data collection, and the decision-making process. Given that Multiple Sclerosis is often diagnosed between the ages of 20-40, it’s important to include young people in the global MS community and decision-making. Who better to advocate for their health and security needs than young people themselves? As a person with an international background, she is constantly pushing for more inclusion of minorities in the Multiple Sclerosis community in Austria and Europe. It’s a long way to go, she concludes, but we are slowly making progress towards more diversity and inclusion.
