Learning To Live With MS
What a country music star wants patients to know
By Stephanie Castillo
Tanja Lippert
You've no doubt heard of multiple sclerosis (MS), but how much do you really know about the illness? Here's one vital fact: The disease affects more than 400,000 people across the country, and more than half of them are women.
The disease, which impacts the body's central nervous system and triggers diverse symptoms that can include vision loss, limb weakness, and muscle spasms, currently has no cure—and can be incredibly difficult for doctors to diagnose and for patients to manage. That's why a new campaign, Stick With It!, is endeavoring to educate MS sufferers and their families about the ins and outs of the illness.
Leading the charge is country music star Clay Walker, whose MS charity, Band Against MS, launched the new campaign. The non-profit, which focuses on MS education and research, was founded by Walker after his own MS diagnosis in 1996. The goal? To make MS easier for patients to navigate. "Not much was really known or confirmed when I was diagnosed," Walker says. "Very little was out there in the form of medication, or even a game plan to follow."
Instead, Walker was forced to create his own routine to foster good health. He cut out red meat and opted for organic options, started exercising consistently, and enrolled in physical therapy specialized for MS patients. The routine, Walker says, has been vital in helping him avoid a relapse for 15 years.
He also did his research—something that Walker recommends more patients take the time to do—and found specialists trained to manage the disease. "It's so important to have an [MS] specialist, because this disease is tricky," he says. "You can have activity on your brain with lesions, and not show signs for a few months."
That's where Stick With It! comes in. The campaign is designed to encourage patients to be proactive, and to do everything they can to manage their condition. "I encourage people to find a therapy that works, but also to modify their diet and exercise routine," Walker says. "I believe you just try to give yourself the best possibilities of good health, and if it doesn't work, change it. If it does, stick with it."
Better yet? For every action the public takes to promote MS awareness, including liking the campaign's Facebook page or sharing their favorite "Stick With It" routine for managing MS, Teva Pharmaceuticals will donate $1 to Band Against MS.
Questions? Comments? Contact Prevention's News Team.
Stephanie Castillo Stephanie is the SEO manager at OprahMag.com, where she works closely with editors to help inform a unique content strategy for search.
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