This summer was a memorable one for MS research. In June, we saw the results of the Canadian Bone Marrow Transplantation trial, which allowed Jennifer Molson go from a mobility device to dancing at her wedding. Dr. Ruth Ann Marrie was appointed to the newly established research chair at the University of Manitoba with a special focus on MS.  And researchers at UBC pinned down a molecule that permits the entry of harmful immune cells into the spinal cord in MS-like disease, bringing us closer to understanding the underlying mechanism of episodic illnesses.

Funding the next generation of MS researchers is how we will find the breakthroughs of tomorrow, and that’s what the John Helou Scholarship (made possible through the generous support of Pfizer Canada Inc. and Innovative Medicines Canada) is all about. Thanks to this scholarship, two bright young women will be supported as they pursue education that will allow them to contribute to MS research. From Red Deer, Alberta, Jeannelle Bouvette was diagnosed with relapsing-remitting MS less than a year ago, and from Georgetown, Ontario, Lauren Smith is a young woman whose mother was diagnosed before she was born.

(more…)

Nearly 100,000 Canadians live with MS, but it also affects the children of those who live with the disease. A generation of young people are determined to change this, including Lucas Nystrom, who lost his stepfather last October due to complications related to primary-progressive MS; Nicholas Addesso, whose mother has lived with MS his entire life; and Matthew Lee, whose mother was diagnosed with neuromyelitis optica (NMO) when he was just two years old.

Named the 2016 winners of the Follow the Leader Scholarship (made available due to the generous support of the KRG Children’s Charitable Foundation), these three are following in the footsteps of Allie Sherwin – determined to play a role in ending MS.

(more…)

 “Vain trifles as they seem, clothes have, they say, more important offices than to merely keep us warm. They change our view of the world and the world’s view of us.” –Virginia Woolf

Multiple sclerosis can affect many areas of your life, and the disease may change how you do various activities. Choosing what to wear probably isn’t at the forefront of most people’s minds when receiving a diagnosis of MS, but clothing quickly becomes relevant to daily living when people experience certain MS symptoms.

Adaptive clothing can serve as temporary fixes during exacerbations for people who live with relapsing-remitting MS. For people who have a progressive form of MS, clothes adapted for special equipment can help make life a little easier. Here are some MS-friendly clothing suggestions:

1. Footwear

If MS affects your balance and coordination, select shoes with significant “tread” on the sole rather than a smooth surface. If you experience numbness on the bottom of your feet, however, you may opt for a thinner sole to better “feel” the ground beneath you.

2. Cooling wear

For people with heat sensitivity, cooling clothing may provide some relief. Cooling clothing contains gel crystals that retain cold temperatures when they are wet; they come in various styles, from bandanas to vests. Scroll down for suggested retailers.

3. Side zip pants

Adding an invisible zipper to the seamline along the sides of pant legs can allow for easier dressing and undressing. Side-zip pants are ideal for people using wheelchairs and scooters, as they eliminate the need to pull pants legs up; instead the pants may be placed around the legs, with a thin zipper closing the pants from calf to waist.

4. Shirts

Shirts that can be pulled over or zipped may be better options than shirts with buttons, snaps or ties for people who experience symptoms that affect the use of their fingers, hands or arms.

“MS progression resulted in permanent wheelchair use, and increasing upper-body impairment placed restrictions on my outside activities. This was compounded by a lack of available clothing for style, comfort, fit and freedom of movement. Modern adaptive apparel solved those problems for me; providing real clothing options for people with physical disabilities involves deeper issues of restoring dignity, self-confidence and personal autonomy.”

— JULIE, DIAGNOSED IN 1979

 

Here are some Canadian online shopping resources to get you started:

Adaptive clothing

http://www.izadaptive.com Izzy Camilleri’s IZ Adaptive line in Toronto
http://www.ezeplus.com (French) for Mode Ézé Plus in Montreal

http://www.ashleysadaptiveapparel.ca/ (Winnipeg, MB)

http://www.debralynncreations.ca/ (Surrey, BC)

Cooling clothing

http://www.msolutions.org
http://steelevest.com
http://heatreliefdepot.com
https://www.axizz.com

How do you use clothing to make your life easier with MS? Use the comments section to let us know what you think.

All photos sourced from IZ Adaptive.