Today, Thursday 30 May, is World MS Day and this year’s theme is visibility, raising awareness of the invisible symptoms of MS and its unseen impact on the quality of life – including travelling and taking holidays.
Multiple Sclerosis, meaning ‘many scars’, is the most common debilitating neurological condition affecting young adults in Ireland, where some 9,000 people live with the condition. It affects the motor, sensory and cognitive functioning of the body and is usually diagnosed between 20 and 40 years of age. The impact of MS on individuals, their families and the community can undermine the resilience that is needed for individuals to remain purposeful and in control of their lives. Three times more women than men are diagnosed with MS. There is no cause or cure.
Ava Battles, Chief Executive, MS Ireland, said: “While many people are aware of MS and the more visible, tangible symptoms that it can cause, the effects of MS can vary greatly from person to person and can often be invisible to those around them. Through our World MS Day activity, we hope to raise awareness around the less visible aspects of MS and how it can impact on the day-to-day life of a person living with the condition.”
Here is the advice that MS Ireland gives its members on travel and holidays:
www.ms-society.ie/pages/living-with-ms/every-day-life/travel
