Multiple Sclerosis Is an Unpredictable Disease

Deliver the Dream, a South Florida charity that supports children and families facing difficult health challenges, is perhaps best known for its family retreats. These therapeutic weekends bring together families living with similar circumstances – it might be a gathering of families who are dealing with the challenges of a multiple sclerosis diagnosis or who have a child with cancer. Our charity gives them an opportunity to interact with people who truly understand what they are going through. 

There is always great comfort to be found when you find yourself in a room full of people who “get it.” For families struggling with multiple sclerosis – which affects the central nervous system, disrupting the flow of information within the brain and between the brain and body – our retreats may find these gatherings particularly helpful. 

The Challenges of Multiple Sclerosis

Sometimes not knowing is the hardest part of facing any challenge. For example, if your child isn’t doing well in school, it may feel overwhelming when you see that first bad report card, but you can work through the possibilities. Is she having problems with the material? With the teacher? Can she hear what is being said in class? Can she see what the teacher is writing on the whiteboard?

When you don’t know exactly what you’re up against, you don’t know what to do and can be left feeling helpless. But once you determine the cause of the problem you can start working on a strategy to correct it. 

With a diagnosis of multiple sclerosis, however, families are often forced to live with uncertainty. It is a very unpredictable disease. 

Many Questions Left to Be Answered

As the National Multiple Sclerosis Society says, “The cause of MS is still unknown. Scientists believe that a combination of environmental and genetic factors contribute to the risk of developing MS.” 

Doctors also can’t provide answers about how the disease will impact a patient’s life. “The progress, severity and specific symptoms of MS in any one person cannot yet be predicted,” the National MS Society explains. 

We can’t provide the answers either, but as a charity supporting children and their families, Deliver the Dream can provide some comfort and support along the way.