Maddi Niebanck
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“Show me your best model walk,” my friend Lizzie calls out as we saunter down Amsterdam Ave, walking off a particularly delectable Italian dinner in the Upper West Side of Manhattan. I strut ahead of her and then turn around to strike a pose. “Gorgeous! She’s a natural,” Lizzie laughs. Walking the runway for New…
There is quite possibly nothing more alarming and disorienting than waking up in the ICU after an emergency surgery with absolutely no idea where you are and what happened. Unfortunately for me, this was my reality…
Meet Blanca. Originally from Venezuela, she’s called the United States home for the last eight years. In May of 2018, her life took an unexpected turn. She was diagnosed with multiple sclerosis. This blog is a heartfelt account of her experiences — from the initial shock of her diagnosis to the challenges of living with…
If you are part of the CIONIC community, undoubtedly you have met Jan. Her incredible story was first featured on CBS Bay Area while she was part of our original home trial, and she has been a shining light in our community ever since we first met her almost two years ago. Jan has a diagnosis of…
Meet Susan. Back in 1990, after seeing multiple neurologists for tingling and numbness in her legs, she was given a diagnosis of possible MS. Due to lack of resources and knowledge about MS at the time — and the fact that there were no medications available — she left it at that. For the next…
Shannon Kelly
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MS and Mobility: How 3 Women Are Rediscovering Independence was originally published in MS News Today Living with MS comes with a unique set of challenges. When walking becomes difficult, your life is undeniably changed. You may have a fear of falling, everyday tasks can become challenging, and your mental health can suffer as you experience…
My name is Hether Flanigan. I live in Salado, TX, and I just turned 50 years old. Three years ago, I had a massive stroke, despite being otherwise healthy. I was active. I ate healthily. I didn’t have high blood pressure. I never had any major health issues. And yet, I had a stroke. Determining…
My MS story is both remarkable and very typical. I was once a busy mom and kindergarten teacher. The Saturday before school started in 2012, I had a horrible stabbing pain in my head with radiating numbness and tingling going down my right side. A headache unlike any other headache I’ve ever had followed. I…
I’m Meghan. I was diagnosed with MS on June 30, 2020. On October 8th, 2023 I crossed the finish line of the Bank of America Chicago Marathon. Here is my story. Growing up active I grew up competitively dancing and doing most rec sports available to me. In college, I started running. Before receiving my…
Every year, nearly 800K people in the United States have a stroke. If you or a loved one survived a stroke, the road to recovery might seem challenging. A stroke can impact your physical, emotional, and psychological well-being in life-altering ways. But with the right rehabilitation plan and support system, life after stroke can still…