27th April 2022
Writing: Shubhan Selvaranjan (Year 11)
Editing: Divit Kelmani (Year 10) and Sami Pyakuryal (Year 12)
Close your eyes and imagine having difficulty with things you take for granted - from walking to going to the toilet. Imagine having muscle spasms at random times. Imagine battling with fatigue and blurred vision most days. Imagine feeling isolated, viewing yourself as an outsider for a condition you have no control over.
Whilst you may only be imagining, this is a very real situation for the millions diagnosed with Multiple Sclerosis.
Try to imagine the pressure of having to care for someone diagnosed, the feeling of loneliness or of not being understood for what you go through daily; the way you have to turn down offers to meet up or socialise because you need to be at home and look after the person diagnosed. In those situations when you can go out, your mind is still concerned with the constant anxiety of whether the person you care for is alright. Imagine the overwhelming sense of hopelessness, the pain of seeing them deteriorate before your very eyes, without being able to help.
During a series of powerful assemblies, our librarian, Mrs Cornelius, recounted the impact of her husband’s MS on both his well-being and his family. She then spoke of the Wendover-based organisation - the Chiltern MS Centre - and how it helped alleviate this strain through treatments and both financial and emotional support. On our termly Charity Day before the Easter break, our school managed to raise a mind-blowing £2650.64 for the centre… no imagination is required to see the extent of the impact this incredible amount will have on the lives of MS patients and their families.
Whilst you may only be able to imagine the impact of MS on people’s lives, you will not need to imagine that you can make a difference to those affected because you can help. As remarkable as financial gestures may be, there are other ways of going about this which may seem small but can go a long way. Holding the door open for someone struggling, smiling and talking with someone diagnosed, or making them feel less alienated and alone by simply being there for them and their family, can make a world of a difference.
