Barbados MS Association President Raises Awareness on Impact and Symptoms of Multiple Sclerosis

President of the Barbados Multiple Sclerosis (MS) Association, Terry Hope, has expressed concern that not enough is being done to educate Barbadians about the degenerative disease, which affects the central nervous system.

Speaking to the Sunday Sun recently during a fundraising event at Sky Mall, Haggatt Hall, St Michael, in recognition of Multiple Sclerosis Awareness Month, Hope said that many Barbadians remained unaware of the symptoms and impact of the illness, leaving those affected to suffer in silence.

“This month is Multiple Sclerosis Awareness Month, so we’re giving out literature to spread the word about MS, what it is. And we had some things on sale, trying to raise some funds. This is an awful disease, and I don’t [think] enough awareness is being given to it,” she added.

Hope noted that the lack of awareness often resulted in people not recognising the early symptoms of the disease, leading to delayed diagnoses.

“In the early stages, many people have no clue what is happening to them. Multiple sclerosis is like a hidden disease. Many people are not in wheelchairs or anything, they are still walking around, but at different times, they suffer from pain all over their body. They can lose their vision, their speech gets mixed up, and sometimes people can’t understand what they are saying.”

Hope recounted her own experience of struggling with the disease before receiving a formal diagnosis, including an incident where people, ignorant of what was happening, would joke about her unusual gait, which she now knows was caused by muscle weakness.

“I remember many years ago, before I knew what I had, I was walking in high heels, and my feet were just bending up. People laughed at me so bad, but they didn’t know it was something serious,” she reminisced

Hope explained that multiple sclerosis remained a complex and poorly understood condition, as the exact cause was still unknown.

Diagnosis often involves magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) or a spinal tap, which can detect abnormalities

in the nervous system.

The Barbados MS Association is advocating for increased public outreach efforts to educate the population about the condition, as well as provide better support systems for those living with it.

“We definitely need more public outreach programmes,” Hope said. “I’m trying to see what we can do to get more people aware.”

The organisation continues to distribute educational material and raise funds for people affected by MS in Barbados. Hope encouraged Barbadians to take the time to learn more about the disease and support those who may be silently battling its symptoms. (CLM)