Some of you will know, and many of you may not, that I was diagnosed with MS in 2015.  In reality though, I have been living with symptoms of this incurable condition since my early 20s.  But in those days, the
counsel was to go away and live your life as there’s nothing anyone can do.  Something I was more than happy to go away and do, living in blissful ignorance and shoving my head in the proverbial sand!
Forever the optimist, I worked hard to avoid a diagnosis believing that
no diagnosis equated to this isn't happening....

I have been generally very healthy holding down big jobs, traveling the world, kids - with the odd blips here and there.  Then since 2013 I noticed that these blips were more prolonged, impacting my life in a more profound way. I was aware that this wasn’t something I could ignore any longer.  My walking was being affected and not something I could easily disguise and realised that it was time to face into what was going on.  In 2014, googling for something positive within the landscape of MS, and still without a formal diagnosis, I found the Overcoming Multiple Sclerosis (OMS) programme, an evidence based life style programme, that has empowered me to take back some control of what is a totally unpredictable condition.  But this is not the focus of this message today, although a turning point for me in living with my MS.  Here’s the link to the OMS charity of which I am an Ambassador if you want to know more.  https://overcomingms.org/

I would not be able to tell this story without the unwavering support of my super amazing husband Jurgen, who is my number 1 cheerleader.  Not only has he become a fish-eating vegan with me, an oxymoron I know, he is a volunteer each week on the MS Society Helpline, offering  critical support to people living with MS (both practical and emotional).  And right now, he is playing an equally important role as my coach in getting me prepared for the 6k MS Society Walk on September 22 in London.  I know this isn’t a trek up Kilimanjaro, it isn’t a marathon or even a half marathon, but believe me when I say this is a marathon for me!  I’m walking further than I have walked in a few years, thanks to lots of grit and support.  Training is going well…we got to 6k this morning with a few weeks to go yet!!!

So, if you would like to make a donation to the  awesome work of the MS Society both in the support they provide to people living with MS and their vision to rid the world of MS through the research they support, then please follow the link to our Just Giving page.

Thank you!