What does Living with MS mean to you?
ayesha
Posted on May 2nd, 2012
There are just 7 days to go until we launch the 2012 World MS Day Campaign!
This year the theme for World MS Day is Living with MS. Every individuals’ experience of MS is different. Not only are there more than 2 million people around the world living with MS, there are many more affected by the disease. Family members, friends and neighbors often act as carers for their loved ones, meaning the social impact of MS reaches much further than the people who are directly affected.
You might be a person living with MS, a carer, a friend, a family member, a medical professional, or even a staff member at an MS organisation, you all have something to say about what living with MS means to you.
With this in mind we asked the 3,000 people who came through the MS life doors (a lifestyle event held in Manchester, UK) this year, to create a postcard that answered the question, What does living with MS mean to you?
We were surprised by the variety of different answers and inspired by the strong spirit of everyone that we spoke to. Key themes running through all of the postcards were a sense of loss, a sense of empowerment through the strength of others, the opportunities to meet new and inspiring people and the importance of the love and support that people with MS find in their friends and families.
We had postcards from people of all ages. Daniel, age 4, whose mother is living with MS said, Don’t worry, be happy, whilst 82 year old Alma who visited the stand with her husband of 27 years said that, ‘Living with MS is frustrating when one can’t do what you would like to do anymore’.
What does living with MS mean to you?
We have uploaded some of the postcards in the gallery below. We hope you feel inspired to create your own postcard….there will be something very special to do with it from the 9th of May!
Tagged: 2012, living with MS, Manchester, MS life, UK, World MS Day
I was diagnosed with MS 15 years ago and living with it means many things to me: first it was a nightmare, then an unsolved puzzle, a challenge. Now, I consider it a gift from my Creator to make a better person of me and others.
I agree to what Angel Youngblood_Chick says. When everyone has expected you to be the strong one (family, friends, work) and they still do, the only thing you can do is try to feel less guilty for not being able to do the things you used to do before you were diagnosed.
Some will try to show sympathy, but no one really knows (not even your doctor) what it is like.
Only we can help ourselves; that ‘s the kind of this medical condition: the MS type “eats” his own cells to get along.
Living with MS means finding that it only means something to you, not anyone else unless you relapse and it inconveniences them. Yes many find family and friends uplifting, but if you are the one who always supported others you may just find there is no one cares for you and will be left to cope on your own, this you can do and do well so MS means I’m OK I am strong and I can do this.
for me it means nothing.. i’m just the same person i’ve always been except of my date with a needle once a week! i’m not living with ms..ms is living with me !!!
Vivere con la SM da quasi 4 anni per me significa aver capito chi sono le persone di cui potersi fidare e chi no!Voler vivere ogni singolo istante a pieno senza aver paura di quello che le persone possono pensare!!!!La cosa più importante che mi ha insegnato E\’ LA VOGLIA DI VIVERE!!!!!!!
MS means to me as the first one dealing with deceleration and mindful attention to myself. This I absolutely want to learn more.
Because I’m always a bit of advice or a motivational slogan for all of my friends or relatives with MS, but I myself think, unfortunately, too little of it.
Having MS has made me more conscious of what gifts I have, the importance of the moment, being here and now. For me, it means a second opportunity to be aware of life.
Patrícia said it very accurate.
It’s there but I try to forget it and handle whats left of my life the best I could.
MS is my daily invisible company. She\’s present but I do not think of her.
I try to enjoy the little things in life, my dear 3-year old daughter, my husband and family and the blessing of each day to be alive to witness it all.
Each day as if it is a new start.
Being there for my brother on a daily basis and providing all the support that I can!