Changing Lives through Programs and Research

Elysa, a former teacher, credits the National MS Society with helping her live her best life. When she was diagnosed with MS, she thought she was going to have a steady decline and be able to do less and less. “I just didn’t know what I was going to do," Elysa said.

She turned to the Society to learn how to cope with her disease through online classes, website resources and was paired with a mentor. She learned to expend energy on activities she truly enjoys and to break difficult tasks into smaller steps. Elysa set a goal to use her poles more, instead of her walker—starting with going just down the driveway, then to her neighbor’s house and now for a mile. Not being reliant on her walker has much improved her posture, and the poles strengthened her hands so she can enjoy pottery and gardening again.

"It’s like a whole world has opened up, and it’s just been fantastic. And I’m not in pain all the time,” Elysa noted. “The National MS Society, to me, is a rock. They’re there for you whenever you need. The Society is amazing because it helps people access information
and programs they can use to live their best lives.”