Essendon and Hawthorn will this week play for the MS Shield as part of both clubs' commitment to MS Victoria.

The match is being billed as the Battle For A Cure and is aimed at raising awareness and money for the fight against Multiple Sclerosis.

This Saturday night will be the inaugural match of what will become an annual event between Essendon and Hawthorn.

"Essendon Football Club has made a commitment to MS Victoria and we hope that our support will help raise public awareness about multiple sclerosis," Jackson said.

"This week's match is an excellent initiative and we are certain our supporters will get behind what is a very worthy cause."

Multiple Sclerosis is the most common neurological disease of young Australians and something not many people know a lot about.

Below are some facts relating to MS:

More than 18,000 Australians have been diagnosed with MS.

Multiple Sclerosis affects twice as many women as men.

MS is typically diagnosed between the ages of 15 and 50.

There is no known cure for this debilitating disease which is why it is often referred to as the mystery disease.

In MS, the protective sheath around nerve fibres becomes scarred or inflammed - symptoms and progression of the disease varies depending on the number of fibres affected.

The inflammation of the nerves disrupts nerve transmission and affects many functions of the body.

MS is unpredictable in that no two people share exactly the same experiences.

People with MS experience varying degrees of blurred vision, speech difficulties, limb weakness, co-ordination loss, shaking in the hands, numbness, loss of balance, extreme tiredness and memory lapses.

MS is NOT contagious.

Anyone wanting further information on multiple sclerosis please call 1800287367.