Beth was born in a small town in the upper Hunter Valley in NSW, the third of 4 children. Her family lived on a property along with her beloved grandparents.After finishing her schooling at a Sydney boarding school Beth had a number of career changes before serendipitously landing a not-for-profit community based aged-... more
John Van De Putt's life has been a rollercoaster of highs and lows. Born to Dutch immigrant parents, he had a great childhood with many siblings. He achieved success in sports and business, but his life took a turn when diagnosed with multiple sclerosis (MS). Ignoring the early symptoms, he faced numerous relapses and ... more
Lachlan Terry led a vibrant, active life until the unsettling prospect of being confined to a wheelchair emerged. In his 42 years, he had avoided debilitating injuries, relying on a mix of good luck and management. The gradual and unexpected onset of his condition hindered job opportunities and even mundane tasks like ... more
Kerrie was born in the South Eastern suburbs of Melbourne, Victoria, Australia in 1975. She is a disability advocate and uses her lived experience of disability to help perform her role as a community member of her local council Access and Inclusion Committee. Kerrie writes short poems and is a chin cup painter and wi... more
Tanya was born and raised in Brisbane, Queensland. She still lives in Brisbane with her husband, son and fluffy puppy. She actively attends physio weekly and enjoys (sometimes) hydro fortnightly. She is currently volunteering for a wonderful start up called Enabled.vip. Enabled.vip was created and is run by people with... more
Clare Reilly (she/her) was diagnosed with Multiple Sclerosis (MS) in April 2017. With a background in outdoor education, Clare loves spending time outdoors. Clare lives on the Bellarine Peninsula, near Geelong, with her husband and son. Clare explores various arts and crafts, is passionate about environmental sustainab... more
Kristi Paschalidis is an accomplished senior internal recruiter with over 11 years of experience across multiple industries. She holds a B. Social Science degree, majoring in Human Resource Management from UNSW. Additionally, Kristi is a qualified Diversity and Inclusion specialist.In 2015, Kristi married her husband a... more
Elizabeth Neal, a woman of unwavering strength and optimism, has faced life's challenges with determination and a sense of humor. Diagnosed with MS in 1991, she endured misdiagnosis and hostility in the RAAF. Despite constant fatigue, dizziness, and falls, she found joy in her marriage, motherhood and pursuit of higher... more
Stacey Metcalf's personal perspective is a powerful journey of resilience and self-discovery. Diagnosed with multiple sclerosis (MS) at a young age, she faced uncertainty and fear, but she refused to let the disease define her. Stacey navigated through numerous relapses and challenges, refusing to let MS dictate her li... more
Justine Martin is the visionary behind this extraordinary anthology MS Book “Whispers of Resilience; Our MS Stories”. She is the Founder/CEO of the Justine Martin Corporation (JMC), a conglomerate comprising six successful businesses: Juzt art, Resilience Mindset, Van-Go Decals, Morpheus Publishing, Team Fingerprint, a... more
Robyn Hart has led a full life with many achievements throughout her many overlapping careers and industries. Robyn has been involved in the entertainment industry since she was born and founded her career over 35 years ago. Being heavily involved as a general manager and hands on technician of a renowned Australian co... more
Candice is married and has three children; twins aged 10, and a seven-year-old. Her hands are full with three girls, three dogs, and five cats. Not to mention 2 fish tanks. Candice is a clinical psychologist and works in a private hospital, plus runs a successful private practice. She has been a Clinical Director there... more
Penel (aka Penelope) was diagnosed with RRMS 22 years ago. She has slowly, but surely, progressed to SPMS. Penel worked in the health care sector for approximately 30 years. Nine years ago, she made the difficult decision to retire. These days she is busier than ever with volunteer work, yoga, exercise sessions and lea... more
Jayne is a self-employed businesswoman, married and a busy mother of two teenagers.She trained and worked in the beauty industry for many years. Jayne was diagnosed with relapsing remitting MS in November 2009. She was 27 years of age at the time of her diagnosis, her children were aged just four and 18 months old at ... more
Kim has dedicated her chapter to her cherished truest friends; especially SWALK, Hugs, Rex Roarrrs to Blaze and sends Spanks to Lover.Kim Eagle's childhood was marked by a struggle to accept her name, Kimberly, as she preferred being called the "Yil girl." Growing up in Australia's countryside, she was shy yet affectio... more
Laura is the owner of an all abilities gym called Dash Gym & Wellbeing, is a former secondary/ESL and Italian teacher, artist, cook and supermum to 2 incredible kids!She has lived with Multiple Sclerosis for 39 years in its current stage of secondary progressive. Laura refuses to allow the condition to dictate the term... more
Determined to help others living with Multiple Sclerosis, Colleen leads an MS support group who have inspired and supported her focus on raising awareness of the disease. Awarded community recognition by a local MP after organising her first MS event, Colleen’s determination continues to be evident in the effort, time,... more
A bit about me, I was born in Lima, Peru. Been living in Australia since 1994 and was diagnosed in 2016. I enjoy photography, collecting beach glass, reading, listening to music—especially Nick Cave and The Pogues—reading and photography. My Instagram is pukasonqo—that is a “q” and not a “g”.I have two adult children a... more
Nina Crumpton's life journey has been one of immense resilience and determination. Growing up in a challenging environment, she faced poverty, family dysfunction and loneliness. Despite the odds stacked against her, she pursued education and dreamt of a better life. However, her life took a new turn when she was diagno... more
Angharad is in her 50s and despite having MS for about 40 years, was only formally diagnosed 5 years ago in 2018. She is however no stranger to MS as her mother was diagnosed with it during Angharad’s childhood. Angharad was born in the US and raised in the north of England but is Welsh through and through. She migra... more
Don Campillie, at age 50, found himself facing an unexpected life with MS. Initially experiencing optic neuritis, he was later diagnosed with relapsing-remitting multiple sclerosis (RRMS) after MRI scans revealed six lesions. Despite the challenges, Don remains resilient and determined to live life to the fullest. He i... more
As a trained Sports Kinesiologist and MS Ambassador, Amanda specialises in multiple sclerosis and autoimmune disease. As a resilience trainer and keynote speaker, she works with leaders at work and children at school, helping them to destress and reset, and uncover blind spots to achieve their personal and professiona... more
Allyson Brown is an accomplished visionary, revered for her expertise and transformative approach. As the Director of everheal (www.everheal.com.au), she leads the innovative LIFE Formula Program, leaving a profound impact on countless lives across the globe. Allyson's journey into Analytical Research led to the comple... more
Leanne Boothroyd's life took a profound turn on her D-Day - the day of her Multiple Sclerosis (MS) diagnosis. Over the past 20 years, she has faced the ever-changing complexities of MS with remarkable strength and courage. Navigating the challenges of motherhood and MS, she learned to embrace the use of mobility aids a... more
Diane Barclay, 73, was diagnosed with MS at 54, not fitting the typical age group. Her journey with MS has been filled with challenges and subtle symptoms. Despite facing difficulties like balance issues and weakness in her right leg, Diane maintains a positive outlook on life. She enjoys knitting, crocheting, and expl... more