Living with MS is a unique, individual challenge. For some, MS is aggressive and rapidly changes their lifestyle and mobility. For others, it can be a slower progression, leaving one constantly wondering what the next day holds. For many, it is an invisible illness that so many of their friends and family still don’t understand. For all, it is a disease with no cure. Over one million people in the US have been diagnosed and are currently living with MS.
Multiple Sclerosis, or MS as it is commonly known, is a disease that attacks the myelin which protects the nervous system, thus damaging the nerves that control body’s functions. In doing so, MS can present itself with pain, fatigue, impaired coordination, vision and muscle loss, and depression. MS presents uniquely in every person, in severity, symptoms and recurring episodes. Until MS takes away a person’s coordination, and thus requires use of aides such as canes, braces, walkers or wheelchairs, the disability is naked to the common eye. Sometimes, MS can be viewed by loved ones as missed celebrations due to fatigue, take out food instead of home cooked meal, and the fear of making commitments due to not knowing how one may feel.
Over the last decade, researchers and medicine have made great strides in developing medication that helps slow progression or manage illness when diagnosed. However, the medical field still strongly lacks medication that can help an individual regain lost function or mobility, and there continues to be no cure for the disease. WalkMS, Bike MS, and the National MS Society as a whole is dedicated to raising funds to continue to aid in research funding and development until there is a cure. It is something that those living with MS, and their loved ones, continue to hope and pray for. Additionally, the National MS Society has a wonderful ‘Living with MS’ program that helps those diagnosed with MS connect with a support system and find assistance for MS related difficulties. Reach out to your local chapter and connect with an MS Navigator today.
Local MS Chapter:
National MS Society Mid Florida Chapter 2701 Maitland Ctr. Pkwy. Suite 100 Maitland, FL 32751