South African Included in Beautiful MS Diagnosis Video for World MS Day

Photo Credit: MS Federation

Jessica, a South African living with MS, got the chance to share her diagnosis story internationally thanks to a beautiful awareness video.

Global (30 May 2024) – The 30th of May marks World Multiple Sclerosis (MS) Awareness Day. The disease is still underrepresented in South Africa, but that is about to change! South African Jessica was invited to share her diagnosis story with an international audience in a new animated awareness video.

Every five minutes, someone, somewhere in the world, is diagnosed with MS. This animation is about navigating an MS diagnosis. It explores the challenges people face in search of answers and why the right diagnosis matters so much. The animation features the real voices of people living with MS across the globe. Listen to Jonathan, Rayan, Leonardo, Kanya, and Jessica share their stories about their diagnoses.

This animation was created for the World MS Day campaign ‘My MS Diagnosis’. The My MS Diagnosis campaign advocates for early and accurate diagnosis for everyone living with MS. It highlights the global barriers to diagnosing MS, raising awareness by sharing real stories and data.

“We are calling for better MS training for healthcare professionals, new research, and clinical advancements in MS diagnosis. Together we are building informed, caring communities and systems that support people diagnosed with MS.” – MS Federation

Multiple Sclerosis South Africa was approached to select someone to share their story. The team sent out the plea, and Jessica was selected to share her story. MSSA is raising the profile of the disease locally, offering support for families and raising funds to help make a difference. Their goal is to unite Africa and create a federation for the continent that will empower thousands of sufferers.

We got the opportunity to speak to Jessica about her journey and what it meant to be included in this international campaign.

“It is an honour to be asked to share my story with other people walking their MS Journey and to be included in the global campaign. I feel very privileged to have been heard.

An MS diagnosis and the daily challenges faced can wear you down, so to have others who can relate and empathise is very special. I am really, really grateful to the MS federation for putting together such an impactful and moving campaign that is raising awareness for our disease. And for MSSA, Non Smit has truly been the most inspiring advocate for MS and our community in SA and globally. The number of people she selflessly uplifts and encourages in the community, as well as on a personal level, is incredible. She is a true role model and inspiration for me on the difference we can make in people’s lives, even when we ourselves are carrying a burden.”
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Jessica was diagnosed with Relapsing Remitting MS twelve years ago. Her symptoms were varied and almost random. She experienced progressively worse symptoms as time went on, and eventually, after several doctor visits, she started to get the diagnosis she needed, thanks to her family doctor while home during the holidays.

She calls the entire experience very nerve-wracking, saying it was a very scary time for her. She called her diagnosis the moment in her life where she had a life before and a life after. Googling also didn’t help, as the articles described paralysis, blindness and loss of bodily function. Seeing all that at the age of 22 and being the youngest in the MS ward, she really had to dig deep to find the strength to get through the initial years to find her stability.

Jessica spent the next two years mourning the loss of the person she was, coming to terms with her life going forward and finding her balance and stability in living with MS.

She found her passions for healthy eating, getting rest, growing her own vegetables and taking up yoga more seriously. Jessica committed herself to completing her degree, honours and eventually, her Masters. Today, she is a qualified Industrial Psychologist.

We asked Jessica what advice she has for people in the process of an MS diagnosis or the diagnosis process for an unknown disease.

“If you are undergoing a medical diagnosis and have to face all the tests, the unknown, the scary Google stats, I want you to know that you are not alone. You can face this, you have the courage in your heart. Find your support systems, rely on the people you love and don’t turn away. Talk about it, cry about it, process it and live it.

This is still your life and it is so very hard now but this news, the worst news of your life, is actually your turning point. Because as isolating and scary as the diagnosis process can be, once you know what you are facing, you can get the help you need and overcome it.

The human spirit and the depth of your courage is truly remarkable, maybe this is the chance your heart needed to show you how brave and wonderful you really are. You need to decide to do the self-work, the identity work and the hard emotional work to heal and still find happiness and meaning in life in the midst of the pain.
Please do not try to go through this alone, there is help and hope out there.

Find a Doctor who you believe is in your corner and is regarded as an expert in that disease. Try build a team of health professionals that can support you.

Something I truly believe is that statistics aren’t your future, that although statistically your prognosis may look a certain way, remember there are outliers. For every per cent or statistical prediction of disease course, there are always outliers or the chance that it won’t look that way. And you can be the outlier.”

Jessica is filled with hope for herself and for treating the disease as a whole in South Africa. Take a look at the animation below.