‘The rules change’: Cork mum on life with MS

A Cloyne mum-of-two is calling on schools, families and readers across Cork to pick up a book this November as she takes on the role of MS Readathon Ambassador for 2026, in aid of MS Ireland.

Violeta Keretic, who lives in East Cork with her husband and twin boys, was diagnosed with multiple sclerosis (MS) in late 2025. Originally from Croatia, the family have made Ireland their home for the past ten years.

Now Violeta is sharing her story to encourage people across Cork to take part in the MS Readathon, a nationwide reading challenge taking place throughout November and raising vital funds for MS Ireland to support people living with MS.

“Being an ambassador gives me an opportunity to turn something that has been incredibly difficult in my own life into something positive,” she said.

“If sharing my experience helps even one person understand MS a little better, feel less alone, or encourages a child to pick up a book and take part in the Readathon, then that’s something really meaningful to me.”

Violeta was diagnosed after experiencing a range of unexplained symptoms, particularly problems with her right hand including numbness, weakness and loss of fine motor function.

“There were scans, hospital visits, tests and a lot of uncertainty before I finally got the diagnosis,” she said.

“Even when you hear the words ‘you have MS’, I don’t think you can immediately understand what that means for your life. You’re suddenly trying to process a diagnosis while also learning a completely new vocabulary and trying to understand what your own body is doing.”

The diagnosis has changed many aspects of Violeta’s everyday life. Her right hand was previously her dominant hand, and tasks such as tying shoelaces, doing buttons or picking up small objects can now be challenging. She also experiences fatigue, cramps, spasms and cognitive symptoms including brain fog.

“The unpredictability is probably one of the hardest parts. I can have a day where I feel relatively okay and then suddenly my body reminds me that the rules have changed.”

One of the things she wishes more people understood about MS is that many symptoms are invisible.

“People sometimes look at someone and think, ‘But they look fine.’ MS can be incredibly unpredictable, and someone can look completely well while struggling enormously.”

Violeta says her family has been a major source of strength, particularly her twin boys, who remind her that life continues beyond a diagnosis.

She has also found strength in creativity. After losing much of the fine motor function in her right hand, Violeta began practising again, including hand-sewing hundreds of tiny beads onto a headband.

“Finishing that headband taught me something: sometimes progress is just one tiny bead at a time.”

Reading has also become an important escape.

“Sometimes, you need somewhere to go when your own head is too full, and books give you that escape.

“They can take you somewhere completely different for a while, when you’re tired of thinking about appointments, symptoms and what might happen next.

“And honestly, sometimes reading is just reading. You don’t always need a profound lesson from a book. Sometimes, you just need to get lost in a good story for a few hours.”

That is one of the reasons the MS Readathon appealed so strongly to Violeta.

“I love the fact that the Readathon is centred around children and reading. It’s positive, it’s fun, and it’s helping raise awareness and support for people living with MS at the same time.”

Her message to anyone considering taking part this November is simple.

“Pick up a book and have some fun with it! You don’t have to be the biggest reader in the world or set yourself some impossible target. Choose something you actually enjoy and get involved.

“Because while you’re reading, you’re also helping people living with MS and supporting MS Ireland to provide vital services and support. There’s something lovely about the fact that a child sitting somewhere reading a book can make a real difference to someone’s life.

“So, choose your book, get comfy, get reading and enjoy it. You never know where a book might take you.”

Speaking about the MS Readathon, Ava Battles, CEO of MS Ireland, remarked. “The MS Readathon is a wonderful way to encourage children, schools and families to enjoy reading while also making a real difference to people living with multiple sclerosis.

“Taking place throughout November, it gives readers of all ages the freedom to choose what they enjoy reading, while raising vital funds to support MS Ireland’s services and programmes across the country.

“We would love to see as many schools and families as possible get involved this year and discover just how rewarding reading can be.”

The MS Readathon takes place throughout November, 2026, in aid of MS Ireland. Schools, families and individual readers can register at msreadathon.ie.