It is MS Awareness Week from 20-26 April this year. To help raise awareness of this condition and educate others on what it is like living with multiple sclerosis we decided to join the conversation by highlighting the best bloggers, websites and Instagram accounts out there. These individuals are sharing their experiences of living with MS, making you laugh, cry and scratch your head in thought.
This is by no means a definitive list, so if you know of a blog that you think people would benefit from having in their lives, please do get in touch with us on social media or email ros@2apublishing.co.uk.
Shift.ms
This is an online community created by people living with MS for people living with MS. It is a social network specifically designed to support thousands of people living with MS by connecting them to fellow MSers. The site provides a platform for people to ask questions, seek advice, share experiences and gain support. They also produce films, by, for and about people living with MS, which tell compelling stories, share real-life experiences and feature world-leading experts.
Join the Shift.ms community at shift.ms.
One man and his catheter
Mark Webb was diagnosed with MS in 2007 and has been writing his blog for the last few years. The opening statement on his website is, “I work (for now), I love, I live, I have fun. Just with wheelchairs and drugs and spasms and stuff…”, so you know you are onto something good from the outset. His well-written, witty commentary touches on serious and sometimes nostalgic topics that will be relatable to many people living with MS, and his blogs are enjoyable and interesting to read.
Follow Mark on Instagram @markwebb99 and check out his blog at onemanandhiscatheter.com.
Stumbling in flats
Barbara A Stensland started her blog in 2012 shortly after she was diagnosed with MS. Her blog has been so successful it was turned into a book and was short-listed for The International Rubery Book Award in 2015. The blog is read in over 150 countries and her regular posts cover everything from MS to grief to daily ramblings that we can all appreciate. Her talent and passion for writing is clear and this makes for a great regular read.
Follow Barbara on Twitter @MS_stumbling and read her blog at stumblinginflats.com.
Ireland, Multiple Sclerosis and Me
This award-winning blog is written by Willeke Van Eeckhoutte, she has been living with MS for over 15 years and blogging about it since around 2011. Her website is full of information, facts and myth-busters and great writings. Her honest and funny take on life makes for easy reading and it is no surprise that this is a very popular blog in the MS community. Her handy A-Z of medical jargon is a great tool for helping you make sense of doctor appointment too.
Read Willeke’s blog at irelandms.com.
My Odd Sock
Just as it sounds, odd, curious and a wonderfully quirky read. The author, aka My Odd Sock, introduces us to a cast of characters that appear throughout the blog. These include; Blockhead representing ridiculous actions, the Drain representing the author’s slightly obscure ramblings, Peanut in a Tin Can representing the author getting an idea, the Funny Meter for when things aren’t actually funny and the Hecklephant representing when something truly sucks. It sounds weird, and it is, but it’s also quite genius.
Check out myoddsock.com.
Tripping on Air
Adra is a well-known Toronto-based blogger living with MS, she has also dabbled in acting and contributed to many magazines and news outlets too. Her sassy take on life is refreshing and comical, she approaches topics like eating habits, sex drive and the benefits of laughter. Adra is also a shining example of someone who is positively promoting the use of mobility aids, her trademark style and sass are often complemented by rollators or wheelchairs and her posts address the stigma around using mobility aids too.
Read Adra’s blog at trippingonair.com and follow her on Instagram at @ms_trippingonair.
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Article originally appeared in the Apr/May issue of PosAbility Magazine, written by Rosalind Tulloch.
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