MS Awareness Month: How We Choose (and Choose Not to) Get Involved

My version of advocacy is taking care of myself first and foremost. Watching my diet, medications, doctors’ appointments, PT, and overall safety. After all, I’m my number one advocate.

After that, I try and help others with anything that I can, whether it’s advice or guidance or just some conversation when they need it. I attend multiple support groups in my area, and I’m always looking for new opportunities to share ideas with others. Anytime I come across something that benefits others in our MS community, I share it with anyone I can.

— John, Bezzy ambassador

I organized a team for my local Walk MS event last year and have done a few talks at my graduate school educating people about MS.

— laurmono28

Every March, I make my Facebook picture about it being MS Awareness Month!

— Debbie

I think that the TV pharma commercials have made it very difficult for us MSers to get even our friends and families to believe us, let alone understand our daily lives. How do you advocate when they see these commercials with people functioning “normally”? … They really don’t get it, no matter how much I try to explain. So many people on this site post about how they end up isolating themselves because of the lack of understanding and support. This is probably the hardest part of having MS.

— Binky

Sharing some info on Instagram

— Amy D

I walk with hand crutches, so sometimes people [strangers] ask if I had a hip/knee injury or replacement. I tell them I have MS, and if they aren’t sure of what it does, I give them an elementary explanation [of] how MS damages the myelin or protective coating of the nerves, blocking signals to areas such as my legs [and that] when the nerve impulses can’t reach their target, they can’t stimulate the muscles to move.

— Sue

I try to educate others in my community about life with MS. Not just my family, also friends, co-workers, and anyone I come into contact with. While there are not many in my country living with MS, those that are, I try to encourage, to provide support, where necessary because we all need it.

— scar