World Multiple Sclerosis Day

Ms COOK (Fisher) (15:23): Wednesday 27 May, will mark the seventh annual World Multiple Sclerosis Day. It was established to raise worldwide understanding of MS and to campaign for all people who are affected by it. In 2009, data told us that over 23,000 people in Australia suffer from MS, with 2,000 living in South Australia. In some reports it is stated that the rate of detection is actually growing at 4 per cent per year, which is alarming. It is a lifelong condition that attacks the central nervous system. Very little is known about the cause, and even less is known about a cure, in spite of many years of research.

I have personally worked with, laughed and cried with some incredible friends, patients and colleagues who have been struck down in the prime of their lives by this cruel disease, which is when it most commonly attacks. I would like to pay tribute now to one of these people who I know. I met Anne Briscoe about 15 years ago when our boys tried out for the same soccer team. She is one of the bravest and most inspirational women I know, and she was able to join me this morning and attend for lunch in the house. I cannot think of a better way of supporting this special day than to share her story. These are Anne's words:

Happily married with a beautiful baby boy, recently promoted in a job which I enjoyed and was good at, studying at uni, life was good and then—a diagnosis…would change [and] shape [my future]. I knew very little about [this disease], blissfully ignorant as is most of the larger population. I now had to get acquainted with its symptoms and progressions and steel myself for what lay ahead. One of the most difficult things on my to do list was to share my knowledge with my family and many friends. How was I to assure them that I would be okay when I myself was not sure of that…

Over the next five years it became obvious that…MS was wasting no time…I deferred uni intending to go back…later. I had a supportive employer so was able to reduce my hours until my energy resources were significantly depleted and it became necessary to resign. [I needed to] focus on my family and getting my little boy prepared for school…

I remember in those early days being [very] embarrassed with the many prolonged stares as I hobbled in to take him to class with the assistance of first a walking stick and later a walking frame and finally the wheelchair. What would these children and parents think? Would they question my ability to care for my son? Would they be scared of me? Would they treat him any differently? [My] wonderful GP assured me [that I was actually] exposing [these children to something that would enrich their lives].

I will cut that story a bit short now. I would have gone on more this morning if I had had time, putting forward a motion, but what I would like to describe is how I observed this wonderful woman successfully raising her son as a single mother.

She lost her husband unexpectedly when Tom was only about 14 years old. Confined to a wheelchair with a debilitating disease, she successfully settled her son into high school, watched him grow into a wonderful young man and watched him complete school. He is now working full time and has also played soccer for Adelaide United. The tragedy of losing her husband just made her stronger. Together she and Tom make an incredible team, a team my family is much richer for knowing. Thank you Anne; you are amazing.

The 2015 World MS Day campaign 'Together We're Stronger than MS' seeks to showcase the ways that people all over the world are breaking down the barriers to living with MS. I invite members to support World MS Day on social media by using the Stronger than MS hash tag (#strongerthanMS). By sharing messages about how individuals and organisations are working to overcome the challenges associated with living with MS, we can inspire further action and create hope for the future.