"Together, we can change the way we view MS" – Daniel's journey
Daniel recently shared his story with us about how life changed for the better after being diagnosed with MS.
Hi, all. I'm Daniel. I’d like to share a story with you about how my life was transformed for the better.
Spoiler, I was diagnosed with multiple sclerosis.
I was diagnosed with relapsing remitting MS in early 2015. I was taking part in a clinical research trial whilst working as a radiographer in Edinburgh. And this was an incidental finding during the trial.
Like many, my diagnosis broke me and it's taken years to fully come to terms with it. I suffered with bouts of depression for several years after my diagnosis.
Turning my life around
Some time passed before something changed. I refused to continue living that way and realised significant change was needed. Sure, I’m making this sound easy but it wasn’t, it was essential.
I asked myself many questions and thought hard about where to go from this point. Where can I channel my energy to achieve something I never thought possible? Where can I prove to myself that this "illness" doesn't limit me? Life got exciting around this point.
I made the bold decision to leave my career entirely and retrain as a doctor. Again, I’m making this sound easy. But it was far from easy. The way I see it, I was given a golden ticket to completely transform my life and reinvent myself. And this is an opportunity very few people get.
I did this with the ambition of one day getting hands-on with the disease which so cruelly derailed my life. At 31 years old I'm both a junior doctor and an MS patient which is a unique perspective!
This "illness" has made me stronger than I ever believed was possible and I’m not stopping here.
MS pushed me to get up and make the impossible possible and the rest is history. I've completed a half marathon to raise funds for the MS Society. And I'm currently writing an article highlighting my experiences of living and working as a doctor with MS. This "illness" has made me stronger than I ever believed was possible and I’m not stopping here.
Building a community
My aim is to spread positivity and show that MS is not the end of the road. We still have plenty to give and I want to share my story to raise awareness and help others. If I can provide any inspiration to someone in a similar position to myself, that'd be simply amazing.
Together, we can change the way we view MS.
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Share your story
Just like MS, every MS story is unique.
We'd love to hear about your MS stories, from diagnosis to how you told loved ones and employers. Maybe you have found an interesting way to manage your symptoms or want to tell us about the challenges you have faced?
We're always on the look out for stories about life with MS to share with the community. So get in touch.
