When Joanna La Rosa was first diagnosed with multiple sclerosis, she felt relieved.
At the age of 24, she began to experience dizziness and loss of balance, something she never faced before.
After a series of doctors’ appointments and a CT scan, she was diagnosed with a brain tumour aged 26.
“I was told I would not live more than six months. The news was a huge shock to me and my parents,” La Rosa told Times of Malta.
She was advised to seek a second opinion abroad and to carry out an MRI scan there, which at the time was not available in Malta.
“The MRI scan confirmed that I had a lesion in the brain, not a brain tumour, and that I had multiple sclerosis. Despite never hearing about it before, I was relieved, especially since I was first told I was only going to live for six months.”
Now 58 years old, La Rosa is one of over 400 people living with multiple sclerosis in Malta.
“Accessibility is such an issue, sometimes you go out and there is no handrail, no ramps, pavements are small or inaccessible, and I end up walking in the road. This is problem not only for MS patients but for all people with a disability
MS is a central nervous system disease, that impacts the brain and spinal cord while the immune system attacks the layer that surrounds and protects the nerves.
Each person can experience the disease differently, but common symptoms are fatigue, reduced mobility, vision problems, and issues with balance.
The cause of multiple sclerosis is unknown and there currently is no cure for MS, but a number of treatments and medications can help control the condition and ease symptoms.
With the world marking MS Day this week, she spoke about living with the disease, and how 32 years after her diagnosis, there is still not enough awareness of the condition.
Mobility worsened due to breast cancer treatment
After she was diagnosed with MS, life took some time to adjust for La Rosa.
She began walking with a splint cast, to provide her legs support, and even adapted her car, removing the foot pedals with hand controls.
Joanna La Rosa in her late 20s, taken after she found out she has MS and not a brain tumour.“I did not know much about it at the time, but I kept pushing myself to continue living my life.”
But all that changed when she was diagnosed with breast cancer at the age of 48.
“I noticed that my mobility got worse the moment I started my cancer treatment and radiotherapy. Besides already facing fatigue and weakness from MS, the treatment made me feel weaker, and more tired, I was always left with no energy.”
Four days after her mastectomy operation, her 49-year-old brother passed away suddenly.
“It was a very difficult time for me and my family,” she said.
After her treatment, her mobility worsened to the point she could no longer drive and now she uses a walking frame wherever she goes.
“Stopping driving truly affected my independence, and at times I find it a bit embarrassing to ask people to help me, as they might not understand my disability.”
Lack of accessibility on Maltese pavements
One of the main obstacles La Rosa faces is when she is outdoors.
“Accessibility is such an issue, sometimes you go out and there is no handrail, no ramps, pavements are small or inaccessible, and I end up walking in the road. This is a problem not only for MS patients but for all people with a disability.”
Despite all the challenges, La Rosa tells her story with a smile on her face.
She said she feels blessed to have a strong relationship with her family and friends, and has taken up different hobbies, such as glass fusing, painting furniture and ceramics.
La Rosa’s colourful glass cross blessed by the late Cardinal Prospero Grech in Lourdes. Photo: Joanna La Rosa“I don’t give up, I love going out, I love travelling when I can, I love the hobbies I do, and I have lovely friends and family who help me a lot.”
She even had one of her fused glass crosses blessed by the late Cardinal Prospero Grech, and today the same cross can be found hanging inside the Chapel of St Paul-Accueil Nazareth Notres Des Dames in Lourdes, France.
What is her advice to those newly diagnosed with MS?
“Keep yourself active as much as possible and stay positive and stay close to those who love and support you.”
For World MS day, the MS Society of Malta is encouraging a month-long walkathon called ‘Walk for MS’. The society is encouraging people to walk one kilometre or more for an MS patient, to take a picture and share it on Facebook with #walkformsmalta.
The group has also set up a ‘gogetfunding’ to support physiotherapy and occupational therapy for MS patients and research in collaboration with the University of Malta.