Clare Walsh (27) was diagnosed with the neurological condition at the age of 19.

Her symptoms include heavy limbs, itchy hands and a poor appetite, and she spents most of her time in a wheelchair, but the determined young woman plans to take part in a sponsored parachute jump later this year.
Speaking of her illness, Clare said: I had just left school and went to the doctor with blurring in my right eye. I thought I had got paint in it, as I had been painting. The doctor examined my eye and said that she could see nothing.

"As it got worse, I went to my optician who sent me straight to the Royal Victoria Hospital in Belfast. They thought I had a tumour, then they told me it was a virus. Within six weeks my sight had gone totally from my right eye.

"A year later, my left eye began to go the same way. I went to the Royal again and they sent me for a MRI scan and finally MS was diagnosed. At the time I knew nothing about what MS was, I had never heard of it.

"As I sat at home one day I saw an advertisement about Action MS on television, I decided to call and they explained everything in simple terms. Nowadays an MS nurse would be sent out to your home to explain things."

Clare is part of a Coleraine based group set up for people with MS. Aspire meets once a fortnight at the MS Centre at Union Street in Coleraine.

The group gives people with MS the opportunity to come together, Clare says: "The group is made up of about 20 people of all ages. We get together and generally have a good old chat. Getting medication for MS is a case of trial and error, so often at the group we discuss what medication has worked and what hasn't.

"Speakers often come in and tell us about new drugs or new information about MS, or we have relaxation evenings, where we have head massages, relexology or candle therapy or sometimes we just go bowling and have tea.

"I have reflexology once a fortnight, it really helps me and relaxes me and doesn't make my limbs feel so heavy. Other people with MS find it helps them to."

Clare has good advice for anyone who has been diagnosed with MS: "Keep a strong head, it is so easy to get down or depressed. Don't look at someone in a wheelchair and think, 'that'll be me' because not everyone with MS ends up in a wheelchair and believe me you can live as 'normal' a life as you want - you just have to be determined."

If you would like more information about MS or if you would like to join Aspire contact Helen on 028 703 26