“MS has shown me how resilient I really am”

I was 26 when I was diagnosed with relapsing remitting multiple sclerosis. 

The first sign that something was wrong came suddenly. I lost around 80% of the sight in my right eye and what I could see was mostly double vision. It happened just a couple of weeks before I was going on holiday. 

At the same time, something strange was happening with my leg. While I was away I kept falling over because of foot drop. I couldn’t lift my foot properly and it caused me to trip several times. 

When I got home, I went to Specsavers thinking I might just need glasses. Instead, the optician told me there was a problem with the optic nerve behind my eye and referred me for further tests. 

An MRI scan showed lesions on my brain and spinal cord consistent with MS. 

Hearing that diagnosis was frightening. I had seen what MS could do to people and my first thought was that my life as I knew it might be over. At 26, when your life is just beginning, that’s a very difficult thing to hear.  

Rethinking how I lived

Before my diagnosis I had always tried to stay fairly healthy. I trained regularly and had always been interested in fitness. 

But I also had plenty of unhealthy habits. I used to drink quite excessively, stay up late and not prioritise sleep. I was always socialising and pushing my body without really thinking about the long-term consequences. Looking back now, how I live today compared with how I lived then is extremely different. 

My diagnosis forced me to take a much more serious look at my health and my future. I started researching MS and trying to understand what I could do to support my body as much as possible. 

That search eventually led me to Overcoming MS. 

Learning what I could control

What I discovered was that there are actually many things you can do to support your health when you live with MS. For me that meant focusing on nutrition, exercise, sleep and stress management. 

Meditation was something I had already started exploring a few years before my diagnosis. I have ADHD, so concentration can be difficult, but I try to practise regularly because I know how powerful it can be. 

Exercise has always been a huge part of my life. I’m passionate about bodybuilding and resistance training and I still train intensely several times a week. 

I also focus a lot on the small habits that support my health. Things like early morning sunlight, walking around 12,000 steps a day, keeping a cool sleeping environment and practising breathing exercises all help me manage fatigue and maintain my energy levels. 

These things might seem small, but together they’ve had a real impact on how I manage my symptoms day to day. 

Living with symptoms

MS still brings challenges. Foot drop has probably been the most frustrating symptom because it affects my mobility and confidence when I’m out socially. I also deal with bladder issues, fatigue and occasional tremors when I train intensely. 

My vision never returned completely to normal after my first relapse, which means my depth perception can sometimes be affected. But over time I’ve learned that recovery doesn’t need to be 100% to feel that your quality of life and identity has been restored. 

Confidence and identity

One of the hardest parts of MS for me wasn’t just the physical symptoms – it was the impact on my confidence. 

Being a young man with mobility issues can be difficult, especially in social environments like festivals or nights out. There’s a lot of pressure on men to appear strong and capable all the time. When your body doesn’t behave the way it used to, it can really challenge how you see yourself. 

But over time I’ve learned to approach things differently. 

There’s a misconception that everyone with MS is a full-time wheelchair user or bed-bound. I wanted to challenge that perception. Yes, MS brings challenges. But those challenges don’t define who we are. 

Proving to myself what’s possible

In 2024 I decided to take on a challenge to raise money for Overcoming MS. It was called the 300 Challenge, inspired by the fact that around 300 people are diagnosed with MS worldwide every day. 

I walked three marathons in three days – more than 80 miles. Because of my foot drop, running long distances isn’t really possible for me anymore. But walking the distance was still incredibly tough. 

For me it wasn’t just about fundraising. It was about proving to myself what I was capable of. Overcoming MS had given me so much hope during some very difficult years, and I wanted to give something back. 

What MS has taught me

Living with MS has taught me a lot about resilience. Your perception of what’s happening to you is incredibly powerful. 

If you tell yourself that MS is the worst thing that’s ever happened to you and that you can’t do anything anymore, then that becomes your reality. But if you change that perspective and focus on what you can do, everything starts to look different. 

And whatever comes next, I know I’ll face it with the same mindset I have today. 

MS: A diagnosis, not a destiny

George shared his story to raise awareness of the role of lifestyle choices in managing MS.

If you want to know more about healthy lifestyle choices, and what the evidence really says take our quiz or read our report here. 

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