We've all heard about cancer and AIDS - terrible diseases such as these affect almost every single one of us in some way, directly or indirectly. Fortunately, with the wide level of awareness for these illnesses, there is much in the way of support and treatment for patients. Through fundraising and general campaigning, life has become much more bearable for them.

There is another terrible disease among us though, however, and the saddest reality is how little people know about it. The disease I'm referring to is Multiple Sclerosis (MS).

Some information from the Canadian Multiple Sclerosis Society:
"Multiple sclerosis (MS) is an unpredictable, often disabling disease of the central nervous system — the brain and spinal cord. The disease attacks the protective myelin covering of the central nervous system, causing inflammation and often destroying the myelin in patches. In its most common form, MS has well defined attacks followed by complete or partial recovery. The severity of MS, progression and specific symptoms cannot be predicted at the time of diagnosis.

"MS symptoms are unpredictable and vary greatly from person to person. Symptoms may include: vision disturbances such as double or blurred vision; extreme fatigue; loss of balance; problems with coordination; stiffness of muscles; speech problems; bladder and bowel problems; short-term memory problems, and even partial or complete paralysis. These symptoms are caused by the destruction of the myelin - without it, nerve impulses do not travel properly.

An estimated 55 000 - 75 000 Canadians have the disease. Approximately 1000 new cases are diagnosed each year - that's three people per day.

There are 400 000 Americans living with MS - 200 people diagnosed per week.

There are approximately 2 500 000 people worldwide with MS.

So...How many of you have heard of this disease before?

As of yet, there is no cure for MS, but leaps and bounds are being made in its research. Effective treatments are being improved constantly, and hope for the cure is continuing to grow. With more support, this hope can multiply and the advances can be greatly accelerated.

I have seen firsthand how terrible MS is. My mother was diagnosed with it long before I was born. She passed away last year due to complications it caused, and she lived for more than half her life under its effects. For years I've been involved in fundraising for the Canadian MS Society through their annual Walk events, but this year I'd like to do something more global.

I've unofficially dubbed April as Multiple Sclerosis Awareness Month. Here's some of the things I'd like to ask of you:

- Through the month I'll be featuring some of the MS-related artwork on the site in this article and in my journal. Please check them out, read the artists' comments, and hopefully you'll get a taste of just how emotionally damaging the disease can be.
- Spread the word! Implore your friends to check out this article or the links below, and help me spread awareness. Changes can only come about if people know about the issue.
- Support your local MS society. I know there are several Walks this month in my province, and I imagine there will be some all across North America - these are great events; assemble a team of your friends, collect some pledges, and turn out for a nice walk. You can also donate to people you know who participate in events like this, or to a MS foundation directly. (I'll be doing my local walk on April 13th; if you'd like to pledge me, you can do so online - note me for more information if you're interested.)
- I will be holding a Stamp design contest. More on that below.

At the very least, try to appreciate every single step you take. Most MS patients eventually lose the ability to walk - I know I barely have any scraps of memories in which my mother wasn't bound to her wheelchair. Take a moment as you go about your daily routine and think about how precious every single step can be - how difficult your life would be if you couldn't walk, couldn't feed yourself, couldn't use the washroom by yourself, couldn't speak, couldn't move your body; how terrible it would feel to slowly lose all those basic functions over the course of decades, helplessly watching as they are robbed from you. Appreciate your ability to control your body and take advantage of it. Don't use the automatic door controls in malls - pull them open for youself and appreciate the ability to perform such a rudimentary task.

Thank you for reading.

Stamp Design Contest!
There are very few stamps for MS support on DA - I think I saw 2. I'd like to change that, so I'm starting this contest.

RULES:
- Stamp must fit the basic DA stamp dimensions
- Text can be whatever you want: "Fight MS," "MS Awareness Month", "HOPE", etc; and should feature a logo from the MS Society of Canada or the National MS Society (you can find links to their websites below)
- Upload your submission normally, then send me a note with a link to it
- The submission deadline is May 1st; I'll judge the entries and post them shortly after
- 1st prize will be a subscription paid for by me; if you'd like to donate prizes as well, please contact me.

Good luck!

More Information
Canadian MS Society - [link]
National MS Society (USA) - [link]
MS on Wikipedia - [link]
My journals - [link] and [link]

Features
Please read the Artists' Comments on these Deviations