Emma Clarke

In May 2024 I spent the scariest month of my life in hospital after waking up with a numb leg and blurry vision. Originally they thought I had MS, but ended up being diagnosed with ADEM, which is essentially an acute version of MS. The symptoms for MS and ADEM are very similar, which is why it is hard to distinguish between the two, and even though I was formally diagnosed with ADEM, there is still a 30-50% chance I will end up with MS. I no longer actively have ADEM, but I am left with 5 lesions on my brain which cause ongoing symptoms including leg pain/ heaviness, headaches and eye pain, blurry vision pins and needles, brain fog, short-attention span and fatigue. As someone who hates sitting around doing nothing, it has been difficult to accept that sometimes all I can do is sit in bed and rest because thats what my body needs. Although I don't have MS, I am participating in the 50k May to raise awareness and support those people living with this awful disease. Being diagnosed with ADEM and experiencing ongoing symptoms showed a glimpse of what people living with this disease go through, and I hope that you will join me in raising money to support those living with MS.