Novartis show their support for MS Ireland

EMMA Valentine is living with multiple sclerosis since 2011 and has been chosen as one of the faces for MS Ireland’s World MS Day campaign.

The theme of the “Faces of MS” exhibition featuring Emma Valentine from Cork in partnership with Novartis is to highlight and challenge the perceptions of what people living with MS look like and are capable of.

MS Ireland is commemorating World MS Day with an exhibition of portraits of eight members of the MS community as part of MS Ireland’s schedule of events marking the international MS awareness week all over Ireland.

Multiple Sclerosis is different for each person impacted by it. They experience different symptoms, with different degrees of severity for different amounts of time. There is no one way to ‘have’ MS, there is no one way to live with MS. The aim of the exhibition is to showcase a range of experiences so people will better understand that MS is a very individual condition.

Emma was diagnosed with Multiple Sclerosis in September 2011, not long after going to the doctor with a collection of weird and wonderful symptoms I could no longer explain away.

“I am 36 years old and live in Cork, in the town I grew up in, in the estate I grew up in with my husband Matt and our almost-nine-year-old daughter Rowan. I spent two years as a stay-at-home parent after leaving my job in corporate America and now I work as a “rúnaí scoile” (school secretary) at the Gaelscoil my daughter attends and so am currently re-learning all the Irish I knew at school and forgot.

“I was diagnosed with Multiple Sclerosis in September 2011, not long after going to the doctor with a collection of weird and wonderful symptoms I could no longer explain away. I knew very little about MS before experiencing it myself, but looking back, I had symptoms for a long time.

“Since diagnosis, I have been relatively lucky, symptom wise, my MS rarely impacts on my ability to live my ordinary, normal, chaotic yet boring life.”

Ava Battles, Chief Executive of MS Ireland commented: “There is no singular experience of MS, the journey is unique to each individual. Our community has seen huge developments in terms of treatments and therapies over the past three decades but we still have hurdles to overcome. This World MS Day we want to challenge misconceptions around MS and redefine the “face of MS” in public perception by shining a spotlight on the full and varied lives of those who live with it.”

Caitriona Walsh, Managing Director of Novartis Ireland said: “World MS Day 2023 is particularly significant as it marks almost thirty years of scientific developments and progress in the field of MS in Ireland. Over the past three decades, thousands of people’s lives have been impacted by the developments in treatments, therapies, and groundbreaking research and development that have changed the face of MS.

“At Novartis, we are dedicated to harnessing the power of scientific research and development to ensure that the progress continues for many years to come and that we continue to support people living with MS in Ireland and worldwide.”

MS Ireland is the national organisation providing information, vital services, and support to the MS community. They provide a wide range of specialised services and resources on a national, regional and local level.

Services include: Regional Community Worker programmes for one-to-one support; physiotherapy; symptom management courses; newly diagnosed sessions and the MS Information Line, one of the first services used in the time leading up to or following a diagnosis. To find out more about the work of MS Ireland visit www.ms-society.ie or contact 0818 233 233 or by email info@ms-society.ie.