My mother was 35 when she was diagnosed with MS. At first life went on much as usual. Her one admission that she had the illness was very much in character: she read everything she could about it. But none of her pamphlets or booklets could tell her why she had the illness or how severely her life would be affected.

I would estimate that my mother saw a physiotherapist less than 10 times in the 10 years following her diagnosis. She lived in the country and
couldn’t drive; for a very brief period a physiotherapist cameto visit her, but that somehow fell through, and the physiotherapist stopped coming. The same thing happened with the home help who was sent once Mum
had given up work and was reduced to crawling upstairs instead of walking. There never seemed to be quite enough money to provide services for people with MS; the only option was to be hospitalised. It was not only the rapid progression of the illness that affected my mother - and
us, her family. It was the rapid deterioration of the quality of her life, her self-esteem, her independence.

Quality of life is something we must all fight for in every country around the world, and to fight we need tools that are appropriate to the battle
ahead. That is why the Principles to Promote the Quality of Life of People with MS in this document are so
important. They provide points of aspiration for all affected by MS, and their strategic application is an essential part of helping groups and individuals focus on what is best for their community.

Beyond that, workshops and internet communication will allow a sharing of experiences and a building of best practice internationally. This document is only a beginning. The continuing impact of the Principles will come from your determination to apply them in your community and your nation.

I wish you every success as you fight to improve the quality of life of people affected by MS around the world.


J. K. Rowling