Since her MS diagnosis in September 2019, Brittany Quiroz—also known as a “A Hot MS”— has been a powerful voice in the Multiple Sclerosis community. Brittany is an author, speaker, MS activist and a talented singer/songwriter. Whew! Did we say she’s a powerful voice? She figuratively AND literally is! Her recently released single “Never Have My Soul” is a powerful, empowering and inspirational masterpiece that encapsulates the triumph every person living with MS strives for each day. We are thrilled to share a snippet of her single to kick off our engaging and point-blank honest conversat ..read more

You say flare. I say exacerbation. Or is it relapse? Whatever you call it, MS is progressing.   All it took was the recent Healthline article Is an MS Flare-Up the Same as a Relapse? to make us remember that contrary to wearing orange and observing March as MS Awareness Month, increasing understanding of this chronic progressive disease is a year-round venture. After all, we each have had Multiple Sclerosis for 25+ years, and we still had questions about what exactly IS the difference between an MS flare-up, attack, exacerbation and relapse. You say “tow-MAY-tow” I say “tow-MAH-tow,” righ ..read more

Always believe in the power of your voice and your story to influence change. Whether it’s at the local, state or national level, your experiences are valuable in making things better for you and many others dealing with the same circumstances and situations. We were honored that we had the opportunity to attend the National MS Society Public Policy Conference in Washington, D.C., the first week of March (officially MS Awareness Month!) and join nearly 200 other MS activists on Capitol Hill March 6 to advocate for MS-related legislative issues. We are grateful for the members of Congress and t ..read more

We’ve never met Sarah Kirwan and Carl Deriso as a married couple, let alone had a shared conversation with the two of them. But less than two minutes into our chat with the Arizona couple, it was like we were catching up and laughing with longtime friends. They had us at hello. And we, as A Couple Takes On MS, think they’ll have you there too. Consider these facts about this Sarah and Carl: • Sarah was diagnosed with Multiple Sclerosis in 2011 • Carl was diagnosed with Multiple Sclerosis in 1996 • They met at an MS support group in May 2016 and started dating shortly after • They got married i ..read more

This episode released on Valentine’s Day so of course it embraces a theme related to maintaining loving relationships when you or your significant other are living with Multiple Sclerosis. Just think about it: all committed relationships present their share of challenges. Throw a chronic progressive disease into the mix, and this love connection suddenly presents a different sort of sclerotic dynamic. This disease literally has a lot of nerve tangling up these loving relationships! Join us as we – A Couple Takes on MS – offer our perspectives and tips into what it takes to build and strengthen ..read more

When people ask who in the MS community inspires us, Jenn Powell is always among the top names on our list. For real. Seriously. Jenn is for real. She is living with Secondary Progressive MS and truly speaks our language: always honest about the harsh realities of this disease, yet gracious and eternally optimistic in looking for hope and brighter tomorrow. We are honored that Jenn took the time to chat with us and share her insights into everything from how she keeps such a sense of optimism in the face of MS to what is the best advice she received following her MS diagnosis and who she turns ..read more

It’s one thing to not be included in social activities, but the perceived intention shifts for people who are living with visible or invisible disabilities. Questions like, “How much did my disability play into me being excluded?” or “Do my friends really not like having me around?” quickly create a sense of doubt and self-worth. We know. We’ve both been there. Join us for this episode of “A Couple Takes on MS,” as we delve into the crucial topic of inclusion and shine a spotlight on the significance of embracing individuals with both visible and invisible disabilities. Throughout the episode ..read more

Take a moment this holiday season to stop and breathe. Listen to the laughter. The songs. This silence. The stories. A regular segment for our A Couple Takes on MS podcast is “MS in Their Voices.” This segment features the writing of MS authors who will read to you the powerful words of their personal essays, poetry and prose. In this episode, we have compiled a collection of these featured authors who shared their writings in their voices with our listeners and us in past episodes: • Tamara Sellman • Tyler Campbell • Julie Stamm • Dan Digmann As Jennifer said, “Grab a cup of hot cocoa (of you ..read more

More than 50 million people across the United States live with the primary responsibility of caring for a loved one, such as a spouse. A parent. A child. A sibling. A close relative. A friend. They are the family caregivers who offer their selfless support for everything from managing and administering medications to assisting with the most basic tasks of daily living.  November is National Family Caregivers Month in the U.S., which calls attention to family caregivers and the important role they play in the lives of those they care for.  In this episode of A Couple Takes on MS podca ..read more

Imagine if you stopped learning after you graduated from high school. Or, how about after college? Think of everything you would have missed. See what we did there? We just made you think. Learning is so important, and it never stops. It becomes even more vital after you are diagnosed with having a chronic illness like Multiple Sclerosis. Join us for this episode of A Couple Takes on MS Podcast as we explore the all-around benefits that continued learning has on you and your life. After all, education can lead to instilling positive health beliefs, knowledge and lifestyle choices. Developing b ..read more