While awareness raising has raised the veil on Multiple Sclerosis (MS) in some countries, in Sri Lanka it is still one of the least understood and hidden diseases.
“People with MS in our country not only face immense hardships due to their physical disabilities, they have to overcome social stigma that surrounds this disease which in my opinion is their greatest obstacle in integrating with normal society,” says Dr Hithaishi Weerakoon, President of the Multiple Sclerosis Association of Sri Lanka (MSAL).
Dr Weerakoon should know what she’s talking about. She herself has been a victim of this debilitating neurological disease for nearly two decades. Multiple sclerosis is an autoimmune disease that affects the brain and spinal cord or the central nervous system. It occurs when the immune system mistakenly attacks and destroys healthy body tissue.
As Dr Weerakoon points out, much of this prejudice stems from the fact that there is still so much ignorance of the disease. “It is one of the least understood and most hidden diseases in our country,” she says. “People who show symptoms don’t like to acknowledge them until it is too late”.... Read More - http://www.msrc.co.uk/index.cfm/fuseact ... ageid/2325