News

This year Father’s Day for me is bittersweet. Last May, I lost my father suddenly aged 60. His departure from this world was shocking and just like MS, it came in the blink of an eye and my whole life changed.

When I was asked to write this piece on access my head immediately spun. There are so many topics to choose from such as access to parking, buildings, medications, services …the list is endless!

 

ln the end I chose how we were accessing the services we need in the new world we are going to be living in. This virus came from nowhere and ripped through our communities.   Our lives have been turned upside down and we’ve had to find new ways of living. The question we need to ask is will some of these changes stay with us even after the pandemic has passed?

Applications are now open for the Multiple Sclerosis Society of Ireland's annual awards. Nominate someone special today.

“Good morning everyone I need to speak to you about the coronavirus and Covid-19," When the Taoiseach spoke these words live from Washington there was urgency in his words, but I wasn’t listening to them. Well I was, but none of them registered. I was sitting in the ER department of the Galway Clinic and a young doctor had just given me the results of an MRI I had in the previous hour.

“We need to admit you Mr. Walsh, something has shown up in your scan and we need to do more tests” he said. “Is there any history of Multiple Sclerosis in your family?” he asked.

MSIF have updated their COVID-19 information to include: 

World MS Day 2021 took place on Sunday May 30th and the theme of this year's campaign was 'Connections'. In the days leading up to World MS Day and on the day itself MS Ireland was featured in national and regional media on television, radio and print. 

We had some brilliant ambassadors sharing their stories on what life is like living with Multiple Sclerosis all of which you can now read and watch back below.

Allow Yourself to Grieve

I trudged on in complete denial for the first four months after the shock of my MS diagnosis. Overloaded with a host of new symptoms, I felt angry for being sick. A guilty narrative played over and over in my head like a depressing Moby track: If only I had taken better care of myself, ‘I’ wouldn’t have created more lesions. I remember going to a restaurant and having complete sensory overload. I became so overheated I had to strip off in the loo and splash myself with water like a complete lunatic.

Our Carers Week ‘Self-care for Carers’ webinar with Life Coach and Psychotherapist, Eileen Hopkins takes place tomorrow at 6pm. This webinar aims to provide carers with tools and techniques they can use to build or enhance their self-care routines

Are you one of Ireland's 391,000+ carers? Knowing that you are part of this large cohort of society may not be that comforting if you may feel isolated in this role.  Or you may not identify yourself as a carer but simply do what needs to be done for your spouse/partner/child/family member with MS. But you are not alone.

For World MS Day we are proud to launch a brand new series of podcasts.