Christina McDonald

“I was diagnosed with MS in 2016 after a major relapse that left me with paralysis on left side of my body and involuntary body movements. I was misdiagnosed when I was 19 so it all made sense when I was finally diagnosed after years of strange symptoms.

What does MS look like? There's no such thing. MS is such an unpredictable disease and is unique to each person. No two people with MS look the same. The MS community is so supportive and I find this helps massively when you're living with an unpredictable disease where every day is different. I love to practice mindfulness to help with my anxiety and living with a chronic illness. I practice meditation on a daily basis. It really helps me on my bad days when I'm struggling with pain, cognitive problems, fatigue and speech issues.

Recently I attended respite in the MS Care Centre in Bushy Park. They had a respite week for younger people with MS. It was the most amazing week of my life. I met with others who are on their own MS journey and it was great to chat to them and do activities with them. We got much needed rest and we made friends for life.

It's not easy living with MS but by being surrounded by others living with the same condition it really helps to feel that sense of unity. We got to engage in plenty of activities and got to learn more about MS and how to manage our daily lives. I am a normal person who loves reading, walking, music, being with family and friends and MS is just part of my life but doesn't define who I am or what I am capable of in life.” – Christina McDonald