ADVOCATING FOR YOURSELF
We MS thrivers know that March is MS Awareness Month. It is a designated time to bring multiple sclerosis awareness all across our nation. I look forward to this month because it is my opportunity to share all about MS with friends and loved ones. It is also a time that advocating for myself is even more important. Because the whole country recognizes it in some form, it is also the perfect opportunity to show all of those connected to you how you’re showing up for yourself. MS doesn’t define us. I’m highlighting three areas I advocate in primarily during this month.
Knowledge is POWER! Powerful things can happen when you’re well informed. There are so many events and webinars taking place throughout the year, but this month there are many to choose from like We Are ILL’s dynamic programming, Walk MS, Bike MS, and webinars on many different types of topics that we as MSers encounter. This is a great way to learn and connect with others. The more you know about yourself and this disease, the more power you’ll possess to speak on behalf of yourself. This is beneficial when it comes to dealing with your healthcare team.
Marriage comes with its own sets of challenges as we navigate life together. However, adding MS to a marriage presents even more difficulties. Many times I felt misunderstood and even judged by my symptoms in times of difficulty. I became more self-aware of my emotions, my feelings and my symptoms to better identify what was the real culprit. Closed mouths don’t get fed, so being aware of what I needed more of and even less of gave clarity to my husband. Our communication improved tremendously because there were no more assumptions but clarification. Additionally, we began to surround ourselves with the MS community in our area and beyond (We are ILL) and couples that also had spouses with chronic illnesses.
Be the change you want to see. I desired to understand more of what goes into policies, laws, and even MS research, so I became an MS activist with the National MS Society. I’ve had the privilege to sit with lawmakers, state legislators and many members of congress as their constituents to bring further awareness to issues plaguing the MS community like prescription reform, air travel changes just to name a few. I will be attending the Public Policy Conference in Washington, D.C., later this month. Showing a different face to what ms looks like inspires me to be the change I want to see for all of us.
Our advocacy doesn’t depend solely on one month because we fight MS daily. But because it is a daily fight our voices and actions can speak in many ways to advocate for ourselves. Let your voice be heard.
