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.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
'A step forward': New screening criteria for sperm donors takes effect
Canadians looking to grow their families with the assistance of sperm or egg donations should soon have more options for donors as the federal health agency does away with longstanding restrictions criticized as discriminatory.
What is whooping cough and should Canadians be concerned as Europe declares outbreak?
There is currently a whooping cough epidemic in Europe, with 10 times as many cases compared to the previous two years. While an outbreak has not been declared nationwide in Canada, whooping cough is regularly detected in the country.
Ontario Provincial Police arrest 64 suspects in child sexual exploitation investigation
Ontario Provincial Police say 64 suspects are facing a combined 348 charges in connection with a series of child sexual exploitation investigations that spanned the province.
'Summer of discontent': Federal unions vow to fight new 3-day a week office mandate
Federal unions are launching legal challenges and encouraging public sector workers to file "tens of thousands" of grievances over the new mandate requiring federal workers to return to the office at least three days a week in the fall.
Pfizer agrees to settle more than 10K lawsuits over Zantac cancer risk: Bloomberg News
Pfizer has agreed to settle more than 10,000 lawsuits about cancer risks related to the now discontinued heartburn drug Zantac, Bloomberg News reported on Wednesday, citing people familiar with the deal.
Watch fighter jet pilots pummel fake enemy ship off coast of Philippines
The United States and Philippines held annual joint-training drills just off the Southeast Asian nation’s western coast on Wednesday. Military forces sunk a 'mock' enemy warship – the BRP Lake Caliraya, which was a decommissioned tanker made in China.
U.S. presidential candidate RFK Jr. had a brain worm, has recovered, campaign says
Independent U.S. presidential candidate Robert F. Kennedy Jr. had a parasite in his head more than a decade ago, but has fully recovered, his campaign said, after the New York Times reported about the ailment.
'Ozempic babies': Reports of surprise pregnancies raise new questions about weight loss drugs
Numerous women have shared stories of 'Ozempic babies' on social media. But the joy some experience in discovering pregnancies may come with anxiety about the unknowns.
Rookie goalie Arturs Silovs to start for Canucks in Game 1 vs. Oilers
Rookie goalie Arturs Silovs will start in net for the Canucks as Vancouver kicks off a second-round series against the Edmonton Oilers Wednesday night.