Tag Archives: Multiple Sclerosis

Sundance: Vancouver filmmaker bravely, honestly documents life with multiple sclerosis

Jason DaSilva’s When I Walk makes its debut this week at the 2013 Sundance Film Festival.

By Katherine Monk, Postmedia News January 21, 2013

Sundance: Vancouver filmmaker bravely, honestly documents life with multiple sclerosis

Jason DaSilva’s When I Walk makes its debut this week at the 2013 Sundance Film Festival.

PARK CITY, UTAH — Jason DaSilva always wanted to come back to the Sundance Film Festival, but he never thought he’d do it in a wheelchair.

A graduate of Vancouver’s Emily Carr University and a veteran director of short films, including Olivia’s Puzzle, which was invited to Sundance in 2003, DaSilva’s life took a turn for the tragic when he was diagnosed with primary progressive multiple sclerosis in 2006.

“I was on holiday with my family and I couldn’t get up.”

We actually see this moment in the sand in his film, When I Walk, which will screen at Sundance as part of the documentary premieres section.

At the time, DaSilva was a 25-year-old man in the prime of his life. He had a string of pretty girlfriends, a promising career in movies and a cool apartment in Vancouver’s West Village.

But everything in his life changed. Very quickly.

MS sufferer fights attempts to put her in nursing home

19 December 2012 Last updated at 17:05

MS sufferer fights attempts to put her in nursing home

Elaine Kennedy said if she was moved to a nursing home her daughter would be left homeless

A 42-year-old MS sufferer has said she is shocked at attempts by her health trust to put her into a nursing home.

Elaine Kennedy needs a significant amount of care in her home, but the agency that provides it says they can no longer do it.

Until last week the Bluebird Care agency – based in Coleraine – supplied carers four times a day.

When Elaine tried to get the time they spent with her increased they cancelled altogether.

Elaine said the Northern Health Trust – which has overall responsibility for her care – then suggested she go into a nursing home.

Orkneys ‘have highest rate of MS’

Press Association

The highest rate of multiple sclerosis in the world has been found in a small group of islands in the UK, researchers said.

The Orkney Islands have, per capita, more people with the degenerative neurological condition than any other place, according to a study looking at the prevalence of the disease across the world.

The research also discovered that the number of people with MS in Orkney has increased, and that one in 170 women has the condition.