A phone call changed my life.

Like many people, I had known both joy and hardship. After decades of working as a chef, I developed back problems that required surgery and forced me to rethink my career. I transitioned to teaching culinary arts, a role I loved deeply. Teaching gave me purpose and connection, and I felt fortunate to have found a new path.

Then I began having trouble walking. My doctors were puzzled. Almost as an aside, I mentioned something else that felt strange. I was struggling to come up with the correct responses while watching my favorite game show. That comment led to a brain MRI, and soon after, another phone call. This one brought a diagnosis I never expected. I had multiple sclerosis.

Suddenly, everything felt uncertain. I moved from my three‑story townhouse to a small, accessible, one‑level home. I could no longer work or lead important meal programs at my church. Within a short period of time, I also lost my husband and my mother. My sense of identity slipped away, and depression took hold. Although a small group of friends stayed close, I felt lost and disconnected from the life I once knew.

Finding Kessler Foundation marked a turning point.

Thanks to the Foundation's research, I began learning how to better manage both my physical challenges and my mental well‑being. I discovered that I was far from alone. Research showed that between 30 and 50 percent of people living with MS experience depression. Knowing this helped me understand my own struggles with more compassion and less self‑blame. Participating was eye‑opening, though not always easy. Fatigue is a common effect of MS, and the studies could be exhausting. Still, my research team shared practical strategies to help me conserve energy and maintain balance in my daily life. With their guidance, I slowly began to reengage with the world around me.

I pushed myself to reconnect socially, even when it felt uncomfortable. I learned to accept the accommodations I sometimes need, rather than seeing them as limitations. At home, I found peace in my small but beautiful garden. A ramp from my back door and elevated beds allow me to tend my plants and flowers. It has become a place of calm where healing continues and hope quietly grows. I came to accept my diagnosis and adapt to the life ahead. I learned to face fear directly, set concrete goals, and rebuild meaningful routines. Most importantly, I learned not to give up on myself.

Because of my experience with Kessler Foundation, I no longer feel as though I am simply surviving. I am living with intention and confidence in ways I never thought possible after my diagnosis. Research has given me tools, understanding, and a renewed sense of control over my future.

I continue to participate in research because there is still so much to learn about living well with multiple sclerosis. Each study deepens my understanding and strengthens my resolve. I am grateful for the opportunity to contribute to work that may help others navigate their own journeys with MS.

My life may look different than it once did, but it is still full, meaningful, and growing. And for that, I am profoundly thankful.