MS Christmas Appeal 2025
A Brighter Future for People With MS Starts With You
Your donation can help someone living with MS access vital services — from physiotherapy and online exercise classes to emotional support through MS Ireland’s community services.
This Christmas, we thank you for your continued support. Your generosity brings hope, strength and life-changing care to people living with Multiple Sclerosis across Ireland.
Meet Áine: Almost 30 Years Living With MS
My name is Áine, and I was diagnosed with MS 28 years ago. My first noticeable symptoms appeared at 17, when over the space of five days I lost sensation on the left-hand side of my body. It began with a slight numbness in the centre of my calf, which I hoped would resolve on its own.
One day, as I carried a drink into the living room where my younger brother was resting, I noticed I was beginning to drag my leg slightly. That moment was the start of it all. I was referred to Beaumont Hospital for further investigations, and from there began my journey with MS — a journey that has continued to unfold in many unexpected ways over the past 28 years.
— Áine“Acceptance for me has been a gradual journey — learning how to live with MS, not against it.”
Your Gift Changes Lives Every Day
Áine’s Experience of MS
Living with MS for nearly 30 years has meant learning to adapt again and again. Some of my biggest challenges have been the unpredictable and often invisible symptoms. Fatigue has been the hardest — it’s all-consuming, like my body and mind have been drained of power. Along the way, I’ve also faced brain fog, numbness, paralysis, seizures, nerve pain, spasms and vertigo.
One real turning point came after I finished my college exams. I was exhausted, everything hurt, and my medication had stopped working. Staying in the MS Care Centre in Rathgar at that time was a lifeline. The therapies helped my body recover, and the other residents — people who truly understood — gave me courage, humour and hope again.
Over the years, MS Ireland has continued to support me in so many ways — from my local community worker, to online courses during lockdown, to weekly Pilates with an experienced physiotherapist. Each of these services has given me something different — reassurance, strength, knowledge and community. And none of it would be possible without your generosity.
This Christmas, Your Generosity Means Everything
Your donation can make a real difference—it can help someone access physiotherapy that keeps them mobile or provide a listening ear through the MS Information Line. Most importantly, it offers hope.