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TED talk: Multiple Sclerosis Made Me A Better Runner


In her TED talk, "Multiple Sclerosis Made Me A Better Runner," Kayla Montgomery explains that she was diagnosed with Multiple Sclerosis at the young age of 15. I chose the topic of MS because one of my professors from college was recently diagnosed with MS, and I have only a minimal understanding of this particular disease and want to learn more. The main thing that I knew before watching this TED talk was that MS affects the myelin sheath surrounding axons, which affects nerve conduction. There is a wide variety of symptoms attributed to MS, and Kayla’s major were fatigue and numbness in her legs while running. She explains that she initially let the diagnosis overpower her life, and she spent a whole year in self pity and denial. Running was a passion of hers before the diagnosis, and she almost let MS take that away from her. However, a critical point in her journey came at a church retreat. During this time, she realized that she needed to adjust her attitude and perspective. Instead of letting MS be a barrier keeping her from accomplishing her goals, she used it as a motivator to push her to achieve more. She pointed out that bad news is an inevitable part of living in a broken world, and what really matters is our reaction towards it.
 I very much related to her experience, as I too have been on the receiving end of a scary diagnosis. I also think that this speech has many implications to occupational therapy. Many clients in need of OT are going through something they never would have anticipated or wished for, whether it be an MS diagnosis, stroke, joint replacement, or learning disability. This list goes on. I love that OT has the unique opportunity to meet people where they are and provide support for them to help them to live life to the fullest, whatever that looks like for them individually. For Kayla, that meant continuing to run despite the numbness in her legs. She went on to run as a college athlete with great success. This is a powerful example to keep in mind in regards to encouraging clients undergoing OT. A healthy perspective and attitude can go a long way in recovery, regardless of the diagnosis. I highly recommend this talk to anyone, as I believe that everyone can benefit from a reminder about the importance of perspective. 

Link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=shqLZyONA0M


T. (2015, July 10). Retrieved April 05, 2018, from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=shqLZyONA0M

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