I have had MS myself for over 15 years. Having gone through different mental stages through the journey of the disease; from denial to acceptance to living a fulfilling lifestyle – I would love to help share with the world my experiences and how a MS diagnosis is not the end.
MS Auckland did this for me when I was going through my journey with their support and I would love to give it back to the people.
I’m not a new volunteer with MS Auckland. I was on the committee some years ago, shared my story in the Whànau & MS webinar and I’ve run several fundraisers.
There is always light at the end of the tunnel and it is not an oncoming train!
Travelling is a passion of mine and I have so far been lucky enough to travel to 26 countries. If I was to pick my favourite destination for nature – it has to be Scotland, reminds me of home soo much – the rolling hills, the greenery, snow. For the sheer history though, Egypt and Italy, especially Rome is unbeatable.
My dream holiday is South America – travelling through the Amazon Rainforest and being a part of the Carnaval in Rio. Friends, family, anyone who wants to go, let’s go and make this happen.
Everyone has a different perspective on what a satisfying / fulfilling life means to them. For me it’s always been about 2 things – 1 is my family and 2 is not having any regrets of missing out on something when I am older, i.e. doing what I want when I want.
Let me elaborate on the above – before I got support from my wife / MS Auckland I was getting a relapse every few months, had considerably low energy periods, and I could not spend quality time with my son – where I had to give up on a lot of things and each decision I made in my life was revolving around my initial diagnosis of being in a wheelchair by my 40th birthday. Let’s just say I am not proud of a lot of decisions I made during this time. Now that I am on Tysabri and have received the emotional support that I need, I am able to think outside of my original diagnosis.
Now I focus my energies on my near and dear ones, and things I love doing, such as spending time with my wife and 2 kids, travelling the world, some stand up comedy as a hobby. I practice mindfulness in my daily life which keeps the bad thoughts out and helps me focus on the positives I have in my life.
Comedian Sam Smith embarks on a journey of discovery about Multiple Sclerosis (MS) and meets others at various stages of the disease
Shane found a reason to run Auckland's Round the Bays event after his partner Katie was diagnosed with MS
