Louise Burnett

Louise Burnett had just turned 24 and was working as a Registered Nurse in Intensive Care when she was diagnosed with multiple sclerosis (MS) in 1991. In the previous eight months she had experienced what she now knows were three MS attacks.

Upon learning that some lifestyle changes could make a difference in managing some of the symptoms she was experiencing, Louise embarked on a healthy diet, avoided night shift and eventually opted for a change of career. Working as a rep for a pharmaceutical company was less stressful than nursing and Louise found her MS fairly easy to live with for the first ten years.

Louise also decided her MS was not going to stop her from doing the things that she wanted to do in life - she travelled overseas for six months, flew a glider, abseiled, skiied, bushwalked and met and married her amazingly supportive husband. Together they have two beautiful young boys. Although this determined lady has experienced more than six MS attacks in the past five years, she still challenges her body with a run most mornings and lives by the philosophy that "you should use it before you lose it".

As an MS Ambassador she is looking forward to raising the awareness of MS in the Illawarra area and educating the public, in particular medical and other health professional students, about what it is like to live with a chronic disease such as MS.

Living with MS, and the symptom of extreme fatigue, while keeping up with her energetic boys is Louise's biggest challenge though and one she and her family face together every day. "I know I can live well with MS; I can be a wife, mother, a friend and I can also work and support others with MS too," she says. "I just need to think about what I want to do and plan ahead."

For more information

If you would like to book an MS Ambassador call (02) 9468 - 8300 or email ambassadors-nsw@msaustralia.org.au