I am inspired by the plastic paperweight I keep on my desk. It reads: “Multiple sclerosis. Will anyone recovered from it please communicate with patient.” Those eleven words started the National MS Society.
Sylvia Lawry wrote those words in a 1945 New York Times ad for her brother, Bernard, who had MS. The next year, she founded the National MS Society. In 1967, she launched the Multiple Sclerosis International Federation. She wanted to change her brother’s life for the better. She changed millions of lives for the better.
Agents of Change
We can change others’ lives, too. Parents who have children with autism raise funds for research, those touched by Alzheimer’s disease organize walks, and many heart patients run Mended Hearts support groups.
These are deep, spiritual actions. We are not just walking and raising money for research or patient care. These actions connect all of us who want to do something about our sisters and brothers who suffer. At some point in our weakened health, we must decide what to do with our sickness. Our pain and suffering can lead us into a deep spirituality. We take our suffering and use it as a springboard to make a better world. We have that passionate, spiritual energy to create meaningful changes in people’s lives.
We can be creative with our harsh, messy health problems. We can redeem our hearts and bodies by creating meaningful change in the lives of people affected by what we have. We can go through a conversion by using our health as a starting point in deepening our faith.
I Am Somebody
People living with health challenges are doing phenomenal things. They are successful for two big reasons: They give credibility to their cause because they are “members of the club,” and they touch the lives of others affected by the same disease that they have.
They know the medications, the tears and fears, and the anxiety about the future. They are invested in the cause with a passionate determination. If they have survived breast cancer, they take on their mission of helping others. They are driven spiritually.
There is nothing wrong with taking care of only our own health. Becoming an advocate for those who do not understand or cannot manage their disease, speaking out about those with unmet health needs, or networking can help others who are mired in a health crisis.
My plastic paperweight inspires me to continue my activity with my MS walks and talks. I encourage and try to support others in their activism. I know that for many people, being passionately determined is a sacred treatment for their ailing bodies—and human hearts.
Handy Tips
- Check with local health organizations for volunteer opportunities.
- Call or visit a neighbor who was recently diagnosed with your disease.
- Research what types of activist groups exist
Next Month: Praying for Healing
