Andrea was diagnosed with Relapsing-Remitting Multiple Sclerosis in 2012 after a bout of optic neuritis and a decades long journey to diagnosis. She and her dog, Jake, moved to the NC Outer Banks two weeks before everything shut down for COVID in 2020.
Finding the online AnCan MS Support Group was a life saver, as she only knew one person in the area and there was no way to meet new people with everything closed, including the
Jake
bridges to the island that she lives on. It was a crazy time, but the beaches were empty, and she enjoyed many long walks on the beach with Jake.
As she moves into her fifties, MS has taken more of a toll than it did in the early years. While she can’t take Jake on long beach walks anymore, she still enjoys short walks and sitting on the bench to watch mother ocean. They are also both beloved AnCan Art Friends.
Facing challenges in accepting the changes in her body, Andrea found that connecting with others struggling with similar issues made her feel connected and not so alone. She also volunteers with the National MS Society as a MS Friend and MS Advocate to build connections and support the search for a cure.