In this extended episode of The Raw Nerve, Host Jeremy Henderson is joined by guest Co-Host Lisa Montague, Raw Nerve Producer and Public Relations Manager for MS Australia, for a warm and wide-ranging conversation with acclaimed Sydney author Elizabeth Lancaster.

Elizabeth’s new memoir, ⁠‘Bounty: A Memoir of Friendship, MS and the Dog That Changed Everything⁠‘, follows her award-winning debut ⁠‘Marzipan and Magnolias⁠‘, which explored her relationship with her mother and the onset of her ⁠multiple sclerosis⁠ (MS). In ‘Bounty’, in which she is known as Libby, Elizabeth takes her story in a new and uplifting direction, reflecting on how a spirited rescue dog helped draw her back into the world.

No two people experience MS in the same way, and so too everyone finds strength in their own way, as Elizabeth’s new book attests. Through Bounty the dog, we learn about MS and conversely, how dogs sometimes need to learn to be patient and considerate of their human companions.

Told with candour, humour and tenderness, ‘Bounty’ explores friendship, illness, disclosure, identity, care, community and the restorative power of connection. In this episode, Elizabeth talks about writing through and about chronic illness, the emotional realities of MS, and the ways human and animal companionship can offer support, patience and unexpected joy.

The conversation also touches on MS experiences and themes including ⁠symptoms⁠, ⁠relapsing remitting MS⁠, ⁠relapses⁠, ⁠progressive MS⁠, lifestyle changes, ⁠travel⁠, accessibility, ⁠family, friends and carers⁠, as well as the joys and challenges of dog ownership and the community found in local dog parks.

Whether you are living with MS, supporting someone who is, or simply interested in a moving story about resilience, friendship and the bond between people and dogs, this episode offers insight, warmth and plenty to reflect on.

For helpful MS contacts in your local area, visit our ⁠Support and Services⁠ page and explore MS Australia’s ⁠Lifestyle Guide⁠ for people living with MS.