Numb leg led to MS diagnosis: Ontario woman shares her story

May is Multiple Sclerosis (MS) awareness month in Canada. MS is a chronic autoimmune disease that affects the central nervous system.

Sandy Stretch, of Sudbury, Ont., was diagnosed with primary progressive MS in 2016.

Stretch woke up one morning and noticed her right leg was numb. The next day, the numbness got worse.

"The next day it was both legs, and then it some in both arms … and so I was having a full neurological episode," she said.

"When they sent me through the MRI machine, they found lesions in my spine."

Stretch said the MS Society has helped her in many ways and she doesn’t know where she would be without its support.

Sandy Stretch, of Sudbury, Ont., was diagnosed with primary progressive MS in 2016. May 12/22 (Molly Frommer/CTV News)

"They’ve provided the eye level for my chair, which allows me to raise up and be face-to-face with people," she said.

"It allowed me to reach the upper cupboards and stuff like that because it raises up. They contributed to the purchase of my van, which was a big thing, and with the support services and stuff. They make my life more comfortable."

The MS Society of Canada said there are about 90,000 Canadians living with MS.

"About 12 people on average are diagnosed with MS every day," said Daniel Corvino with the MS Society of Canada.

"So it’s certainly a very impactful disease here in Canada and it’s a disease that affects the central nervous system. There’s so much that we don’t know about it ... what causes MS, what causes it to progress in some and not others."

Corvino said raising the profile of the disease and raising research funds is important.

Stretch said despite it being common, not many people talk about MS.

"We want to make sure with MS awareness month that everyone knows that we’re here and ready to help," she said.

Stretch said she wants people living with MS to know that they are not alone and that support is out there.