living with MS

Mom helps families find support for pediatric multiple sclerosis

When Jill Blackburn’s daughter, Sierra, was diagnosed with pediatric multiple sclerosis (MS) at the age of 15, Blackburn had trouble finding sufficient support and resources. She eventually joined a relevant Facebook group, which she evolved into a nonprofit organization, the Pediatric Multiple Sclerosis Alliance. She now serves as…

The importance of compassion while living with MS

Living with multiple sclerosis (MS) often means constantly balancing what your body needs with what your life demands. Some days you’re managing symptoms like fatigue, while other days you’re trying to keep up with work, relationships, and other responsibilities that don’t pause for flare-ups or doctor appointments. Amid all…

New research sheds light on multiple sclerosis and menopause

Going through menopause with multiple sclerosis (MS) can be challenging, as the changes that come with this stage of life may interact or occur in tandem with existing MS symptoms. A team of researchers recently studied how menopause affects women living with MS, with their findings presented…

The benefits of owning dogs while living with MS

Living with multiple sclerosis (MS) has changed almost every part of my life, which sometimes feels overwhelming. Simple tasks are more complex than before. One thing that has helped me cope is being a dog mom. I have a 12-year-old rescue dog that we adopted in 2014. He is…

‘The Multiple Sclerosis Fashionista’ champions adaptive fashion

Roxy Murray was living up to being known as “The Multiple Sclerosis Fashionista” when she attended the 2025 European Committee for Treatment and Research in Multiple Sclerosis (ECTRIMS) conference in Barcelona, Spain, on a warm September afternoon. Murray, who has multiple sclerosis (MS) and lives in London, applies her…

Turning 50 with MS feels like a new beginning

I celebrated my mid-century birthday two weeks ago with an online dance party with friends, family, and patients in “The Myelin Room” — a monthly Zoom event. At 50, I’ve officially grown up. I no longer think of myself as a “girl.” The more dignified “woman” feels more appropriate.

Organizing my health: How my pill box became a lifeline

Before 2016, I didn’t need to take any prescription medications, at least not regularly. But during my first episode of optic neuritis and a few years later, after my diagnosis of relapsing-remitting multiple sclerosis, I was forced to create a new habit. During that first episode of optic…

Handcycle powers MS woman’s journey toward self-discovery

For many years after being diagnosed in 1992 with relapsing-remitting multiple sclerosis (MS), Carolyn Cannistraro didn’t want to think about having MS, let alone tell others about her condition. But now Cannistraro is aiming to complete three races across New York City within 60 days using a handcycle. She…

Community and human connections are vital in life with MS

One of the most essential parts of living with multiple sclerosis (MS) is building support systems. They offer practical help, but better yet, they also consider and foster our emotional survival. MS is full of unknowns and can thus be characterized as unpredictable. But one thing we can predict…

The realities of living with MS-related cognitive impairments

Of all of the cognitive functions that multiple sclerosis (MS) can affect, memory and processing issues have been my primary burdens. I’ve found them difficult to navigate and manage, especially when others don’t fully understand the extent to which they affect me. My MS-related cognitive impairments have resulted…

My parents are my strength while I’m living with MS

On May 10, surrounded by my loved ones, I received my Master of Arts in educational psychology from the University of Texas at Austin. As I heard the words of love and encouragement from my family and friends, I realized just how difficult my educational journey has been because of…