Editor’s Note:  Three years ago, The Three Tomatoes Roni Jenkins was diagnosed with MS.  She has a demanding job, three school-aged children and a very active life. In spite of her diagnosis, she fully lives life.  In fact, most of her family and friends can’t keep up with her.  She is — so far – one of the fortunate ones. Here are some facts about this disease that has no cure and Roni’s interview with an MS One to One Nurse.

Multiple Sclerosis (MS) is an unpredictable, often disabling disease of the central nervous system that disrupts the flow of information within the brain, and between the brain and body. Living with MS involves all kinds of challenges. Symptoms may include blurred vision, loss of balance, poor coordination, slurred speech, tremors, numbness, extreme fatigue, problems with memory and concentration, paralysis, blindness and more.

MS by the numbers:

• 3 million people are affected by MS worldwide
• 400,000 cases in the United States
• Most people are diagnosed between the ages of 20 and 40
• The ratio of women with MS to men with MS is 2:1
• Direct and indirect health care costs range from $8,528 to $54,244 per patient per year in the United States. MS ranks second only to congestive heart failure in terms of costliness compared with other chronic conditions.

May 25th was World MS Day and throughout the month the global MS community comes together to raise awareness surrounding the disease, however, sometimes raising awareness isn’t always enough.

For those living with MS, having a strong support system and healthcare team to deliver comprehensive care is a game changer. That’s where the MS One to One® program comes in; MS One to One® provides 24/7 personal attention for people living with MS through one-on-one phone conversations with MS nurses.

“Always inspired by healthy living and education, I decided I could do more to help people living with chronic illnesses,” said Denise Chicoine, MS One to One nurse. “As a MS One to One nurse, I act as a constant contact for those living with MS, giving tailored tips and information specific to their case.”

An MS nurse is a critical member of the healthcare team and their support extends beyond treatment. The MS One to One program is available to help connect people living with MS directly with nurses to provide personal support and advice about how to manage all the milestones of this disease.

Listen to this interview with Roni Jenkins, from The Three Tomatoes and living with MS, and Denise Chicoine, a MS One to One nurse.

On Saturday, May 21, 2016 Roni headed up The Three Tomatoes team  at the Walk MS Jones Beach Fundraiser. If you’d like to contribute to her cause, please donate here—any bit helps.