INSPIRATION
"I WON'T LET THE MS MONSTER WIN!"
Despite being told she shouldn't run, Gemma Mace , 48, r efused to let multiple sclerosis to stop her doing the things she lo ved
WORDS: LISA JA CKSON
"At the age of 41, I suddenly lost the ability to run. It was very bizarre – I knew I could run but my brain and legs just wouldn’t connect. I also walked funny, a bit like John Cleese's silly walk, and started experiencing numbness, vertigo and extreme fatigue. It took four months to be diagnosed, during which time I carried on as normal, secretly convinced I had a brain tumour. I stopped driving as my balance and foot numbness meant I couldn’t feel the clutch but I tried to walk everywhere (with my silly walk!) and leant heavily on trolleys when walking around supermarkets.
“Eventually, on 20 February 2008, I was told I had multiple sclerosis (MS), a disease where your immune system attacks myelin, the covering around nerves that assists in the conduction of nerve signals throughout your body. Initially, I was relieved that I had a diagnosis, then I struggled to understand how it would affect me. MS is called the snowflake disease – everyone’s disease is different. My neurologist couldn't tell me if I would improve or get worse. In desperation, I turned to the MS Society, which was a life saver. When my friends and family heard the news, many of them cried and I spent a fair amount of time telling people I was OK. I also got one 'Get well' card, which I thought was hilarious.