Sienna Sullivan

Living with MS- MY STORY

Can you imagine waking up one day unable to do the everyday things you usually take for granted? Like not being able to see properly, get out of bed, or live a life without constant pain?

Multiple sclerosis (MS) is a chronic and often invisible disease that attacks the central nervous system. It’s the most common neurological disease in adults aged 20 to 40, and it often strikes just as people are beginning to plan their future. In Australia, more than 33,300 people live with MS – and three out of four of them are women.

For me, MS has played a huge role in my everyday life over the past few years. It stole my teenage years – a time that should’ve been full of fun, growth, and adventure. Instead, I spent those years in and out of hospitals, just trying to feel normal.

My journey began at age six with strange visual symptoms, but I wasn’t believed. It took eight long years to finally be diagnosed. Those years were filled with confusion, misdiagnoses, and being told it was all in my head.

At 13, I lost all feeling in my right hand. Then at 14, numbness spread from my head to my toes. Finally, an MRI revealed the truth – I had multiple lesions on my brain and spine.  It was MS!

Since then finding the right support has changed everything. With a trusted neurologist, incredible MS nurses, and the unwavering support of my family, I’ve learned how to manage my symptoms and advocate for myself. MS has impacted every part of my life including my education, friendships, and ability to enjoy even the simple things.

After failing three disease-modifying therapies, I finally started a new medication in November 2024 called Kesimpta and it’s seemingly working. Since then, I’ve been able to travel- something I once thought I would never be able to do. Now I'm finally starting to feel hopeful about the future.

With continued research and emerging treatments, I truly believe we’re getting closer to a cure – or at least to medications that can eliminate most symptoms. And it’s your support that makes that possible. Every dollar, every bit of awareness, makes a real difference.

Thank you for standing with the MS community – and with me. xxx