Cynthia Farrell – Kilkenny | MS Journeys
For Cynthia Farrell from Kilkenny, living with multiple sclerosis means facing unpredictability and challenge, while drawing on adaptation, resilience and the support of family and community.
“Living with MS is very unpredictable and challenging and requires a lot of adapting and resilience.”
MS has shown Cynthia a strength she did not know she had.
“Having MS has taught me that I have strength I didn’t know I had. It constantly forces me to adapt and face challenges in many different ways, and shows me that I have the determination and resilience to push through even when things can be very hard.”
For someone newly diagnosed, Cynthia’s advice is reassuring and practical.
“I would say that being diagnosed with MS can come as a shock but try not to panic and think the worst. Treatments today are better than ever, and you can still live a full and meaningful life with MS.”
She also encourages people to connect with their local MS Ireland branch, where they can meet others who understand what they are going through and can offer advice and support.
Family has been a crucial support system throughout Cynthia’s MS journey. She says this support helps with the unpredictable and often invisible physical symptoms of MS, as well as the mental toll it can take at times.
Her family also supports her with energy management, which she says is important for her quality of life.
Cynthia’s local MS Ireland branch has also played an important role in her life. She says the branch has offered valuable supports, including coffee mornings, yoga classes, physiotherapy classes, online courses, young people meet-ups and help connecting with resources such as Occupational Therapists and Physiotherapists.
For Cynthia, being part of the wider MS community means having a way to connect with others who truly understand what it is like to live with MS.
“Being part of the wider MS community means that I have a way to connect with others who are going through a lot of the same things that I am and that truly get what it is like living with MS.”
One of the things that has surprised Cynthia most is that she can still have a full and meaningful life while living with MS, even though it requires adaptations.
Her biggest challenge is fatigue.
Cynthia describes it as “a bone deep exhaustion that no amount of sleep or rest takes away”, adding that some days it can feel like “you are just walking through mud all day long.”
A fatigue management course with MS Ireland has helped Cynthia develop tools she now uses every day to help manage fatigue and adapt her daily life around it.
Cynthia is proud of what she has achieved while living with MS.
“While living with MS I have gotten married, had my son and travelled all around Ireland and abroad.”
She is keen to challenge the misconception that all people with MS have visible physical disabilities.
Cynthia says that while physical disability may be the outcome in some cases, MS is often an invisible condition, with no way for others to know what is happening beneath the surface.
Her message to others living with MS is clear:
“You don’t have to face this alone. While your friends and family can be so understanding, they can never truly understand what you are going through the way another person with MS can, and there are so many of us out there. The best way to connect with others is through your local MS Ireland branch.”
For Cynthia, World MS Day is important because it helps spread awareness and understanding of MS.
She hopes it helps people understand that there is no one face of MS, and that everyone experiences the condition differently.
Cynthia’s story is one of resilience, adaptation and support, showing the importance of community, understanding and connection while living with MS.
Cynthia’s MS Diagnosis Journey
