Our second art project and exhibition has just opened for entries, and we’re making it bigger and better than ever this year – but we need your help to spread the word.

We’ve expanded the title to create a further theme for entries – The Art of a Journey. For an artist, the concept of a journey mirrors the process of an artwork. For past and present patients at The National, the art of your journey might be about  the road to diagnosis, recovery or simply acceptance of your condition. We want you to create your visual response to the title on (or in) an envelope.

Last year's response to A Letter in Mind was amazing. We had hundreds of entries and the envelopes were drawn on, painted, written on, wired, cooked, collaged − while some even had artworks sealed inside them. We were fortunate to have a number of high-profile names donating their work including Grayson Perry and Threadneedle Prize exhibitor Gill Rocca. Some of our celebrity supporters contributed, such as Joanna David, Emilia Fox and Sophie Thompson. Many of these artists have promised their support again this year.

Each work will be priced at £80 and exhibited anonymously. The artist’s identity will only be revealed once the exhibition has ended and the work is sold. Once again, the exhibition will take place in October at the central London space gallery@oxo on London’s South Bank.

To take part, you simply need to register. Closing date for receipt of artworks is Tuesday 30 June 2015.

Want to know about the latest exciting developments happening at The National and The Institute of Neurology? Then come along to our annual lecture on 4 June − it’s designed to let patients, their relatives and supporters of the charity hear about current news in the world of neurosurgery.

Neil Kitchen, consultant neurosurgeon, will introduce the topic and the evening will include talks from neurosurgeons David Choi, Joan Grieve, Andrew McEvoy, Lewis Thorne and Ludvic Zrinzo about spinal, pituitary, epilepsy, brain cancer and functional neurosurgery. You don’t need any medical knowledge to enjoy the evening and it’s open to all, with a drinks reception afterwards.

It takes place on 4 June, from 6-8.30pm. If you’d like to come along just email us.

There are more than 2.3 million people across the world with MS, with many, many more undiagnosed. At The National, over 200 patients attend The MS clinic each week and the services link to a major research programme looking for new treatments and better ways of managing the condition. To mark World MS Day on 27 May, The National Hospital’s MS team are holding an open day at 33 Queen Square where you can ask questions, hear about breaking news in the field of MS and enjoy an afternoon tea. If you'd like to come along, click here.

Then don’t mope about at home, come out for our charity gig at UCL’s Mully’s Bar on 28 May. We’ve got the hugely popular headliners Blues Brothers taking to the stage, supported by Agent and Havva. Tickets are only £10 (£5 concessions) and all proceeds go to The National Brain Appeal. Buy your tickets today!

For more events, personal stories and how you can get involved, please visit
www.nationalbrainappeal.org, or follow us @brainappeal and fb/TheNationalBrainAppeal

Theresa, Marcelle, Jess, Louise, Leigh and Cara