A diagnosis of multiple sclerosis (MS) never comes easily for anyone. But for NBA player Chris Wright, the symptoms of his first MS episode sought out to take his livelihood away — but he’s fighting back. MS Awareness Advocate, Walter Gefrom shares the story:
To say there isn’t an ‘MS stereotype’ would be untrue. Having supported numerous efforts that shine the spotlight on multiple sclerosis, Walter Gefrom knows this all too well. Most people assume, or rather expect, a person with a recent MS diagnosis to be a middle-aged woman. No one expects this individual to be a young person and even more rarely do they expect the diagnosed person to be a man. But the reality is, it happens — all the time. Even though it is not as often discussed, men are diagnosed with MS. And unfortunately, the prospects tend to be a lot worse for men. That’s why when NBA player Chris Wright found himself diagnosed with MS, he was encouraged to embark on an aggressive form of treatment: Tysabri.
Walter Gefrom encourages you to check out Chris Wright’s full diagnosis story on ESPN. It’s truly inspiring and worth the read — especially in the matter of raising awareness of the fact that men can have MS, too.