Life as a Black Woman With MS: “The Lack of Access is Still Prominent”

Photo courtesy of Azure Living with multiple sclerosis (MS) presents a unique set of challenges, from the physical symptoms to the emotional toll it takes on individuals and their families. For every 100,000 people in the general population, 298.4 of them are Black and living with more aggressive disease progression and greater disability. For many, the journey begins with a diagnosis that can be both bewildering and isolating.  Los Angeles and Gold Coast, Australia-based poet and advocate Azure was living with MS for nearly a decade before receiving a diagnosis. “It took a few years to receive a full diagnosis, and initially, it was harrowing due to the lack of information. The available information felt vague yet final and fatal, which was a major struggle,” Azure shares, adding that for many years she lacked the courage to talk about her diagnosis with friends and family. “If I could do it over again, I would have sought more encouraging spaces. I wanted a community to help me cope, breathe, and educate myself, but I couldn’t find one.” One of the biggest challenges Azure faced was the lack of access to healthcare and resources.  Photo courtesy of Azure “The lack of access...