After a diagnosis that shook her life completely, Yasmin shares how she found hope again through the Overcoming MS Program
I was diagnosed at the age of 29. And the diagnosis itself was completely life-changing. I had my first symptom a couple of years before that. I woke up one day and the vision in my left eye was a little bit off, a little bit blurred. And over a period of about five days, my vision completely deteriorated. It took me a little while to go and actually get some medical help because I was so stuck in the rat race. My manager at the time encouraged me to go to hospital. Then, lots of symptoms came out of the blue over a couple of years until I eventually got my diagnosis. When I had the diagnosis, my medical professionals didn’t really leave me feeling anything but terrified. Some of their comments terrified me, like ‘Go live your life now.’ I left my diagnosis appointment feeling completely lost and hopeless.
So when I found Overcoming MS, it was just a little light in a very dark place and there was a little bit of hope that maybe there is a different path here. Maybe there’s another option. I still remember that feeling to this day. So, what Overcoming MS means to me is this lightness, this feeling, which I can’t always put into words. It’s hope. There are things that you can do to help. I know that I’ve got so much more control over my future. And all these years in, I feel so much better, healthier, happier, more content. But Overcoming MS hasn’t just helped me improve my health. It’s had a knock on impact on lots of areas of my life. And I know I wouldn’t be who I am today without the charity.
The charity is filled with so many great things. The podcast has been really helpful. The books, the recipes, and for me, the biggest thing is the Overcoming MS Circles and my local Circle. I still remember the day we all met for the first time and just being in that safe space where we just got each other. That’s healing in itself. Overcoming MS needs to reach more people. More people need to know that they can do things to help them live a healthier life with this condition. It is not well known at the moment. It’s about making sure that people have the choice.
Yasmin’s story was shared in our 2023 Impact Report. You can read other stories and more about the impact of the charity in our 2023 Impact Report.