MS Christmas Appeal 2024

"My name is Naomi, and I’m a 43-year-old mother, wife, and person living with Multiple Sclerosis (MS). My MS diagnosis came in May 2011 – just a few weeks before my wedding – and although it was a challenging time, my story is filled with hope, thanks to the incredible support I’ve received from my family, friends, and MS Ireland.

This Christmas, I’m reaching out to ask for your support. MS Ireland relies on the generosity of people like you to continue providing these invaluable services to the more than 10,000 people in Ireland living with MS."

"MS is something my family is all too familiar with. Just a year before I was diagnosed with the condition, my sister was too. Our grandmother also had MS, and sadly she passed away in 1966, leaving my dad, his brother, and three sisters orphaned. Back then, a diagnosis of MS could feel like the end of hope.

When MS Ireland was founded in 1961, there were no MRIs to diagnose the condition, no treatments to slow its progression, and little understanding of how the disease would affect each individual. Today, being diagnosed with MS is not the same as it was in my grandmother’s time."

"Thankfully, because of advances in medicine and the work of MS Ireland, people like me can manage symptoms and live full, active lives. I still face challenges, but I can remain active thanks to the resources and services MS Ireland provides, including physiotherapy and support programs. 

MS Ireland has also made a huge difference for my family, especially my 7-year-old son, Evan. He’s attended events where he’s met other kids who have a parent with MS, helping him understand he’s not alone. This sense of community is invaluable, and it’s made possible by the work MS Ireland does.”