Come on, go red & kiss goodbye to MS!
From February 1st to March 18th MS Ireland, our national MS society, is taking part in Kiss Goodbye to MS, the first global major fundraising campaign that raises funds purely for multiple sclerosis research. Because of the reach of the initiative, it has the potential to accelerate around the world. Kiss Goodbye to MS started in Australia a few years ago and finally went global. Big names have added some clout to the events, like Shemar Moore of Criminal Minds whose mother lives with MS. Also, US actress Amy Schumer has spoken up about her father’s MS while Odile Frosini in France encouraged her students to go ‘red’. In Ireland, our own Rosanna Davison, Irish Ambassador, nutritional therapist, chart-topping author, as well as ex-Miss World, is helping spread the word…
MS Ireland: Hope & Empowerment
It’s not the first time I sit back at night and go over past moments that left me inspired and willed me forward to do more, much more. As societies go, there’s a lot of goodwill in MS Ireland, our national MS society. There are also hard facts that tell you that this is a group of outstanding people working towards one goal only: to significantly improve the lives of those living with multiple sclerosis, including their families.
#strongerthanms with MS Ireland
“So, how’s the book,” friends often ask me. “Oh, it’s getting there,” I joke. “I’ve finished one page, the one with the title and my name!” I don’t lack the ambition to keep on writing, but I have an overabundance of low energy levels, so I must ask people to use their patience… patiently when dealing with me. Like all cowards, the illness I write about lurks in the dark within my central nervous system, and it sometimes rises to the surface in unflattering ways. My body does a good job in concealing it for now, but every so often I worry about it rising to the surface and staying there… permanently.
#FestifyMS Christmas appeal
"If you’re in Ireland, text Festify to 50300 to donate €4 for Christmas. If you want to give a larger amount if you are living abroad, you can go to http://ms-society.ie/pages/donate to donate any amount you wish to the society. A lifetime membership costs €50 ($67 or £40), and ensures much-needed services to people with MS can be retained or improved."
My brother and The Camino
I usually don’t reblog posts, but this one is special as it regards the brother of a friend of mine. Martin will be walking the Camino de Santiago de Compostela to raise funds for the Multiple Sclerosis Society of Ireland. Declan and myself are lifetime members of MS Ireland and you know how much I’ve written about them in the past. It’s an absolutely astonishing society who does the utmost for people and family members of those with MS. Through my advocating with and for them, I see the efforts they make to try to help everyone affected, but having budget cuts year after year, the society can’t do everything they would love to do. I would therefore absolutely love it if anyone would want to sponsor Martin Groeger. To…
Irish public transport: access all areas?
"At this stage, I thought “Do I really have to walk with my coffin under my arm to get a seat when I’m physically leaning on a walking stick while holding the handrail as if it was my best friend?”"
Thank you
No man’s an island, we weave connections through waves of emotions, through faith and happy occasions. This month, I’ve been very lucky to have found waves meeting others, and to have found people with the kindest of hearts, the softest of voices but the strongest of minds. This is for them. Joan, Aoife, Niamh, Karen, Declan, Trevis, Lucina, Miriam, Diana, Natalia, Ava, Ruth My GP, MS nurse, neurologist, ophthalmologist and many others in the two hospitals I attend The many friends back in Belgium and in Ireland, especially Claudia, Dirk, Susie, Jean, Audrey and Gratiane and as always: My mom who never gives up, even in the strongest of seas, every single day. ©Willeke Van Eeckhoutte and Ireland, Multiple Sclerosis & Me, 2011-2014. Unauthorised use and/or duplication of this material without…