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Claire and Finlay - When Your Parent Has MS

Claire and Finlay talk about the challenges of supporting a parent with MS

Claire is an outreach worker at the MS Therapy Centre in Lochgilphead in Argyll on the West Coast of Scotland. She was 11 when her dad first became unwell. His multiple sclerosis diagnosis took two years, and he eventually had to give up his job as a joiner. Claire's mum worked full-time to support the family, alongside caring for her dad. Although Claire had a big brother and sister, they'd long since left home, so she had to deal with it alone with her mum and she felt quite isolated amongst her peers. Things were on a downward trajectory until her dad started attending the MS Centre in Lochgilphead. They provided support and therapy for her dad and it made a massive difference to both him and the family. In fact, it had such a remarkable effect on Claire's dad that he turned into a huge fundraiser for the centre and raised lots of money before passing away 10-years ago. The positive impact of the centre made Claire resolve to give something back, and she now works there as an outreach worker. This is where she met Pasqua, Finlay's mum. Pasqua was diagnosed with Relapsing Remitting MS (the same kind as Claire's dad) when Finlay was 4-years old. He and his little brother Aidan now have a far greater understanding of the condition because they've had lots of support from Claire and the MS Centre.

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3 minutes

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