We all have the same hope – to make history
Rozani and her husband Steven inspire each other to bring hope to people living with MS.
Last year I was struggling mentally, feeling disconnected from life and the world. I was still processing my MS diagnosis from five years earlier. Then I discovered a project run by the MS Society: to dance ballet with the Royal Opera House. Music and dance have always been a great therapy for me, so I signed-up, and for 13 weeks I rehearsed for a live performance.
My husband Steven was moved to tears by the performance, which initially I’d kept as a surprise. He saw that I was happier and that the project had helped me mentally. So he wanted to do something to support the MS Society, to help the charity support other people like me.
Steven’s my history-making hero
Steven’s always enjoyed football, so he put on a football fun day to raise money. He did a lot to organise it in a short space of time – and he smashed it!
Around 100 people came during the day, to watch the football team he formed – ‘the MS warriors’ – play his usual Sunday team. He got everybody involved: my brother DJ’d, a friend did face painting and our eldest daughter made sweetie cones to sell. It was a perfect family fun day. He aimed to raise £500 – but instead made almost £3,000. I’m so proud of him.
The day also marked the five-year milestone of my MS diagnosis. Instead of being sad, Steven wanted it to be a celebration of how far I’d come. Of how over the last five years I’ve become braver and more resilient.
The impact of my MS diagnosis
I’m super blessed to have Steven, my two daughters and an amazing family. But having MS is hard. Massive parts of my life have changed drastically.
Before MS, if there was anything going on I’d always want to get involved. If there was a party, I’d be the person organising it – and I’d be the first and last person on the dance floor.
Simple things are difficult now, like popping to the shops, getting out of bed, brushing my hair, cooking, cleaning… And sadly I had to give up my role at work. It was a difficult decision, because work was a big part of me. I still feel really numb about a lot of it.
But there are good days and bad days and I hold onto the good days, the positive things.
My second daughter was born after my diagnosis and we called her Amal, which means ‘hope’. It’s a word I use a lot. I’m very hopeful about MS research, which is why I’m supporting the history-makers campaign.
My hopes for MS research
I’m blown away by what’s happening behind the scenes with MS research. I learnt a lot about it by attending the Stop MS Appeal annual lecture in June, about research into myelin repair.
It was exciting, and a relief, to hear these things are happening. It’s a bit scary too, as the thought of eventually taking new treatments is daunting. But I left feeling really positive. My hopes are that one day a cure will be found. But meanwhile, that there will be lots of treatments along the way to help us manage MS and slow and stop progression.
I hope people will find ways of living their lives and being able to do everyday things. My hope would be that even with MS, people can still have the life that they want to have.
We share the same hope with many others
On our tenth wedding anniversary Steven and I were in a studio in London, with people from the MS Society, making the history makers video. I was able to highlight to Steven what an impact he’s made – that the event he put on is helping to make history. That he’s my hero.
When I looked around the studio, I felt the same way I felt at Steven’s fundraising event - pure love and happiness.
Without people coming together to do all these things, there wouldn’t be a way of us stopping MS. It’s an amazing feeling. Having MS can be quite isolating, but in the studio, and at Steven’s football event, that feeling of isolation wasn’t there. Because there are people who understand, care and have the same hope: to stop MS.
Research will stop MS. Be part of history by donating today.
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