Latest news with #MSAwareness
ABC News
02-07-2025
- Health
- ABC News
Queensland woman with multiple sclerosis determined to walk again
When Susan Blackborough wakes up each morning, she never knows if she will be able to get out of bed until she tries to move. It's a daily struggle she has learned to live with in her long-term battle with multiple sclerosis (MS). Ms Blackborough was diagnosed with MS at just 12. Now 45, she said her condition started to decline about 10 years ago. "I became weak and I needed a lot of extra help to do things," she said. The progression of the disease has left her unable to walk since 2020. "I knew that … eventually I would end up in a wheelchair," she said. But she's determined not to let it dictate her life. Ms Blackborough lives in Rockhampton, central Queensland, and is inspiring others through her determination. Her at-home physiotherapist, Greg Muller, is just one part of her incredible support team. "Susan has awesome goals and they're lofty, like to walk again after not walking since 2020 and to do that with a progressive neurological disease such as MS, we're setting the bar high, but why not?" Mr Muller said. With Mr Muller's assistance, the mother of two is learning to walk again. "It might not seem like a great deal to you and me, but 4 metres for Susan is like a marathon," Mr Muller said. "It's just such a huge accomplishment and it's building towards that bigger goal that hopefully we get to." While there is no cure for MS, Mr Muller said treatments could help to manage symptoms, slow disease progression and improve quality of life. "We assess every day where Susan's at. We talk about how she slept, what her pain levels are like, what her energy levels are like, and then her goals for that specific session," he said. "It's my job to make sure we tick those things off and I just try and push her a little bit harder each session." Multiple sclerosis is a degenerative disease that progressively damages nerves, making it increasingly difficult for the brain and the body to communicate. There is no known single cause of MS and there is no cure. "MS is very complex. I can't tolerate extreme temperatures, so if it gets particularly hot, I will basically melt and my muscles won't work at all," Ms Blackborough said. "In the cold, I get a lot of spasticity and I can't bend my arms and I can't bend my legs." The unpredictable nature of MS can significantly impact a person's ability to work and perform daily activities. Ms Blackborough had a thriving career as a mobile finance broker, travelling around in her car to visit clients, but eventually, had to give it up. "It became unsafe for me to drive anymore, so I stopped driving. I had to close my business. I had to give away my high-heel shoes, which was heartbreaking. "But I'm trying to walk again and I want to get back to working and trying to heal." More than 33,000 Australians live with MS, and that number continues to rise. It's the most commonly acquired chronic neurological disease affecting young adults, often diagnosed between the ages of 20 and 40, and in Australia, it affects three times more women than men. MS Australia chief executive Rohan Greenland said there had been significant advances in MS treatment over the past two decades. "Australia is home to world-leading researchers working across every stage of the disease, from uncovering the causes of MS, to improving care and accelerating progress toward a cure," Mr Greenland said. "We are also preparing to enrol the first participants in PLATYPUS, Australia's first adaptive clinical trial for MS, designed specifically for people living with the progressive form of the disease, where effective treatments remain a significant unmet need." While MS has changed the path Ms Blackborough's life has taken, she's taking every day one step at a time. "I want to retain as much independence as I can," she said.
BBC News
25-06-2025
- Health
- BBC News
Cornwall woman completes 'epic' challenge following River Camel
A fundraiser has completed an "epic adventure" by walking, cycling and swimming 55km (34 miles) along the River Camel to raise awareness of multiple sclerosis in memory of her was part of 70 challenges Pippa Marshall, from Wadebridge, set herself to carry out to honour her mother Carol who was diagnosed with MS when she was just 19 and gradually lost her mobility as the illness said the physical challenge was tough and she got lost on the way, adding to her mileage, and she had to ensure she caught the tide to complete it. "It was hot, at the end of the walk I could barely put one foot in front of the other. But, after this, there's nothing I can't do," she said. She said: "I went off track a couple times, got bitten by dog and had to bash my way through unkempt pathways full of brambles and nettles."Pippa cycled 12km (7.5 miles) of the Camel Trail in 30 minutes before spending three hours swimming 10km (6.2 miles) to Padstow in force 5 wind and finished the adventure in 10.5 has also chosen challenges including skydiving and singing in public to highlight MS and also celebrate movement "that able-bodied people take for granted".Pippa said she took on the River Camel adventure as she and her mother grew up alongside the waterway. She said: "Mum watched the steam trains from her bedroom window as a child, and I walked and cycled along it countless times. "Whilst MS took its toll on mum and her life became very small, it meant my caring duties ramped up and somewhere along the way I forgot who mum was under the heavy veil of MS. "The River Camel transcends all of that, entwining our past with my present and I hope to remind myself that mum lives on, through me."Carol Marshall died in 2016, aged picked 70 challenges to mark what would have been her mother's 70th birthday and has given herself two years to work through has 15 more challenges to tick off, including some more far she has raised more than £3,000 towards her £4,000 target for the MS Society.
WebMD
19-06-2025
- Health
- WebMD
Too Warm or Too Cold With MS
Must I choose between uncomfortably cold and dysfunctionally warm? Before I had multiple sclerosis (MS), I didn't worry much about temperature. If it was cold out, I put on a coat. If it was hot, I could take off a sweater, but if I didn't, nothing bad would happen. After 40 years of MS, I have to think about temperature constantly. If I let myself get too warm, my body stops working. If I wait too long to take off that sweater, I won't be physically able to do it. Two of the three times MS has landed me in the emergency room, it was because of getting too warm and not being able to sit up. One time, the day started off cold, so I dressed in a few layers and went to see some art shows. When it got warm, I was too engrossed in the art to notice. When I noticed, I tried to take off a pullover I was wearing, but I could not lift my arms well enough to do it. I should have asked a stranger to help me take off some layers, but I didn't want to bother them or to be embarrassed. I tried to tough it out. I wound up on the floor and got an unwanted ambulance ride to the hospital. That was five years ago. Since then, my temperature sensitivity has gotten worse. Now, I'm also quite uncomfortable when I get too cold. My body hunches in on itself to keep warm, I start sneezing and coughing, and I can't wait to get home and warm up. But if I get too warm, it's worse. Then I need to get into bed, or everything falls apart. I wish it were a question of finding a 'sweet spot' – not too hot and not too cold. But for me, there is no sweet spot. I can actually be too warm (weak) and too cold (uncomfortable) at the same time. It's taken me a few years to realize just how important it is to take off layers when I start to get warm. Like right now, writing this, I had to take off a sweatshirt and just wear a T-shirt, because the day is warming up. How does this work out in the world? Memorial Day weekend, I spent a delightful two days at San Francisco's Carnival celebration. So much dance, music, art, costumes, and food, all in one place. I love it and almost never miss it, but it's in the Mission District, on the warm side of town. It is difficult for me to spend hours there without getting into a temperature crisis. This year, I was smart. I packed four layers: two T-shirts, a sweatshirt, and a sweater. I paid attention to the weather and how I was feeling and frequently changed between outfits so that I felt cool but not uncomfortably cold. It wasn't finding one right outfit; it was frequently changing to fit my body's needs at the moment. I missed some moments of the parade, because I was busy putting on or taking off a sweater. It was a lot of hassle, and I'm sure a few people were wondering, 'What's up with him?' but it enabled me to enjoy the event and not collapse. Temperature balance is important at home, too. My apartment, especially my work area, tends to get warm. If I'm busy writing, I might not notice until my fingers stop working and I can't type anymore. Right now, I'm still warm, so I have turned on an electric fan that sits by my desk. I love that fan; at its low setting, it really does seem to put me in a sweet spot of not being too hot or too cold. Fans are great; they use way less energy than air conditioning, so they're better for the environment, and they work right away. They cool you without unnecessarily cooling the whole house. So, there are a lot of tricks. To avoid heat, stay in the shade; if you're cold, get into the sun. Some people with MS wear cooling vests or neck wraps if they can't avoid being out in the heat, but San Francisco rarely gets that hot. Drinking lots of fluids, iced or not, helps control our temperature. Like with a lot of other MS symptoms, there are many things we can try. For me, doing the right things means taking our time, paying close attention to our bodies, learning and trying new things, finding balance, and then doing what works. That process applies to mobility issues, doing tasks, enjoying life, and a long list of MS challenges, including heat sensitivity like mine.
Yahoo
19-06-2025
- Health
- Yahoo
Woman takes on 70 charity challenges in two years
A Cornish woman has spent almost two years completing 70 challenges to raise money for Multiple Sclerosis (MS) in a tribute to her mum who died with the condition. Pippa Marshall, from Wadebridge, is now preparing for her biggest task yet; walking, cycling and swimming the 31-mile (50km) length of the River Camel. Her mother Carol was diagnosed with MS when she was aged 19 and about to get married. As she gradually lost her mobility, Pippa became her carer. Ms Marshall said: "My purpose is to honour Mum's memory and highlight the gift of movement that able bodied people take for granted." MS is a debilitating neurological condition affecting the brain and spinal cord. It causes severe pain, fatigue, cognitive issues and vision problems. According to NHS England, more than 150,000 people in the UK are living with the condition. The River Camel challenge includes walking 12 miles (20km) from its source above Camelford to Wenford on the Camel Trail where Ms Marshall will cycle another 12 miles to Wadebridge and then swim another six miles (10km) to Padstow. Ms Marshall said it was a particularly personal challenge. "Mum grew up in Grogley and went to school in Nanstallon, where she is now buried," she said. "I grew up in Wadebridge so the River Camel has always been there in one way or another, linking us past and present. "I am trying to train as I am a 50-year-old, unfit woman but have a lot of determination." She said all of her 70 challenges had been inspired by her mother's determination despite her illness. "Mum was housebound for approximately 10 years and ended up with epilepsy too. "She suffered so much and her world became so small. I have always found it hard to deal with how sorrowful the whole thing was. "She never complained, she was always bright and cheerful and the thing that she said was that there is always someone worse off than yourself. "So this has all been about telling the world that Mum - Carol Marshall existed." More news stories for Cornwall Listen to the latest news for Cornwall Carol Marshall died aged 63 and her daughter decided to take on her 70 challenges to mark what would have been her mum's 70th birthday. Other activities have included hang gliding, swimming around St Michael's Mount, singing in public, entering cake competitions using her mum's cookbook and entering her mother's artwork into local events. Her big 50km challenge, when she will be supported by Open Water Devon, is set to take place on 22 June. Follow BBC Cornwall on X, Facebook and Instagram. Send your story ideas to spotlight@ 'My mum's MS inspires me to run ultra marathons' Man takes on five-year £500k charity river challenge NHS England - Multiple sclerosis
Yahoo
09-06-2025
- Health
- Yahoo
Nearly 1400 people took part in national ‘Walk MS 2025′
Despite a rainy weekend, the weather certainly held out long enough for 'Walk MS 2025.' It's part of a national annual event that raises awareness and funds for the fight against multiple sclerosis. In Boston, participants walked along a one to three-mile route, overlooking the harbor, before finishing up at the UMass Boston campus. Multiple Sclerosis is a disease that affects a person's nervous system. Symptoms can often vary from person to person, including numbness and tingling to mobility challenges, blindness, and paralysis. Multiple Sclerosis affects an estimated 1 million people in the United States. Lori Espino, President of the National MS Society Greater New England Chapter, reflected on the walk. 'We had close to 1400 people come out either supporting a loved one with MS or living with MS themselves, and we raised over half a million dollars for a cure.' Sunday's walk was the sixth held in Massachusetts over the past few months; together, they've raised nearly one million dollars in donations. This is a developing story. Check back for updates as more information becomes available. Download the FREE Boston 25 News app for breaking news alerts. Follow Boston 25 News on Facebook and Twitter. | Watch Boston 25 News NOW
