A columnist’s perspective on MS lighting a fire in her

In recognition of Multiple Sclerosis Awareness Month in March, the MS Awareness Month campaign features a series of stories highlighting the real-life experiences of people affected by MS, written in their own words. Follow us on Facebook, Instagram, X, and Pinterest for more stories like this, using the hashtag #MSAwarenessMonth, or read the full series.

Multiple Sclerosis News Today columnist Ben Hofmeister recently chatted with fellow columnist Desiree Lama about her multiple sclerosis (MS) journey. Excerpts of their conversation follow.

BH: I wasn’t diagnosed with MS until I was 39, while you were diagnosed so much younger. It’s hard for me to put myself in the shoes of someone who was diagnosed when their life must have felt like it was just beginning. Please help me relate by describing the experience for me.

DL: After going through a multitude of tests and exams to confirm my two episodes of optic neuritis, I remember feeling a sense of relief when I received my multiple sclerosis diagnosis. I know — what a weird thing to say. I was relieved in the sense that I didn’t have to keep wondering why doctors couldn’t figure out what was wrong with me. Before my diagnosis, the not knowing kept me up at night.

diagnosisDesiree Lama graduated from the University of Texas at Austin with her master’s degree in 2025. (Photo by Evan and Savannah Rogers)

Afterward, I think my age played a huge factor in my not understanding the severity of what was happening. My mom had done the heavy lifting of researching and asking questions since I was still a minor. At the time, I was most concerned with finishing my senior year of high school and preparing to move away for college. I don’t remember exactly when I started to understand that I had received a life-changing diagnosis, but it hit me all at once. I felt as though I would be restricted in any way I could imagine.

Thank you for sharing that. It really helped to open my eyes to a very different experience from my own. Looking back over your column, it seems like you have a pretty awesome family. What was their initial reaction?

My mom was and still is my biggest advocate. She was and always will be my protector. As any parent would be, both of mine were absolutely devastated, but they did their very best to support me in any way that they could. At the time of my diagnosis, my younger brother was 7 years old, so we waited a few months to tell him because we knew it would be difficult for him to understand. I had never felt more supported than when my family gathered around me after my diagnosis.

I hope this doesn’t come across as a silly question, but what did you want to be when you grew up? Did MS lead you down a different path than you’d imagined?

Not a silly question at all! Having MS changed my path many times. Growing up, I always wanted to be a therapist because I have always wanted to help and be there for others. After receiving my diagnosis, I wanted to go into the medical field to become an MS specialist and give others living with MS a more personalized healthcare experience. So, going into college, I declared prehealth neuroscience as my major, but quickly realized it wasn’t the right fit for me. I had been toggling between the ideas of medical school and pharmacy school.

After failing a couple of STEM classes multiple times, I knew I needed a change, so I switched my major to human development and family sciences. I thought I could still find a career path that allowed me to initiate change and advocate for those living with MS and other chronic illnesses. Now, as a graduate student, I have found my place in higher education: helping students with disabilities succeed in their studies and feel they belong.

You’ve touched on it before, but I know for me, the answer can sometimes change. If you could go back, what would you tell yourself when you were diagnosed?

I would tell myself that MS isn’t going to stop younger Desiree from accomplishing all that she wants to; if anything, it will light a fire in her.