Late last year, we asked Amy about her hopes for 2022. She could barely get the words out without bursting into tears.
“My goal is to get my independence back. I want to rise above MS and be the best mum I can be,” Amy told us.
Thanks to you, and the generosity of the whole MS community, Amy’s dream could soon be a reality. With your help supporting the Christmas Appeal, MS Australia recently raised $104,220 to fund promising research in 2022. That research could give Amy her life back and change the world for everyone with the disease. Thank you for your kindness and support.
Before Amy had MS, she lived an energetic, busy life with her three young daughters. She helped at their sports days and was heavily involved in the community. MS took all that away.
Amy’s terrifying symptoms began when she was in the shower.
“I got all dizzy and couldn’t stand. I had to crawl to the lounge because I couldn’t walk,” Amy said.
Since then, Amy’s MS has slowly progressed. Despite receiving the best treatments available, she now needs a wheelchair, struggles to leave the house, and lives in constant pain. Losing her independence has been tough on Amy; the hardest part is seeing the impact it has on her kids. Amy explained:
“My kids have to look after me now and it’s not fair. I’m their Mum. It’s my job to care for them.”
Your support is helping fund exciting research in 2022 that could give Amy her life back and help her, once again, be the mum she wants to be.
One of the projects you’re helping fund could perhaps solve one of the most debilitating symptoms of MS – loss of mobility.
Dr Phu Hoang leads this research. He will be analysing patterns of muscle weakness in thousands of people with MS, then developing a set of clinically proven exercises that could slow the progress of the disease and keep people active for as long as possible. One day, Dr Hoang’s research could even help Amy walk again.
Your support is also helping fund game-changing research led by Associate Professor Anthony Don. Associate Professor Don is investigating whether certain drugs could repair nerve damage caused by MS. These drugs could have the potential to reverse the symptoms of MS and restore physical and cognitive function in people with the disease.
This research could transform Amy’s life and the lives of everyone affected by MS.
When we told Amy about it – and how the support from people like you is helping make it possible – she again choked up with emotion and asked us to share her personal message of thanks:
“Words can’t describe how grateful I am. To everyone who gives to fund MS research, no amount of thanks can ever be enough.”
Amy’s three beautiful daughters also wanted to thank you. They think people like you are ‘amazing’ and ‘superheroes’ for helping their mum. To watch a short video of their personal thank you message, click here.
From Amy, her daughters, the researchers and everyone affected by MS, thank you for your kindness. Your generosity is helping transform the future of MS. This year, your support will bring us even closer to the day when MS no longer has power over people’s lives.
