Past Episodes

Today, we're re-visiting my favorite conversation of the entire year and it seems that you and I agree! You've made it this year's most downloaded and listened-to episode. In this episode, Dr. Bruce Bebo, the Executive Vice-President of Research at the National MS Society, briefs us about some of the most interesting and important research shared at ECTRIMS 2021, the largest MS research conference in the world. We have a lot to talk about! Are you ready for RealTalk MS??! Wishing you a happy ...

I've always believed that the holiday season is an ideal time for reflection. For looking back and looking ahead. And in that spirit, today we're re-visiting two of the most important conversations that we've had this year on RealTalk MS. When you consider the nearly one million people living with MS in the United States, you might conclude that MS doesn't discriminate – it impacts people of all ages, sexual orientations, and ethnic backgrounds. However, when you drill down a bit further and l...

The 2021 holiday season is underway, and the availability of the COVID-19 vaccines means that this year, many of us are getting caught up in cooking, eating, drinking, shopping, and connecting face-to-face with family and friends. For some of us, it also means having that important but sometimes-awkward conversation about vaccine status. For too many people, 'tis the season....to feel stressed. Stress can feel overwhelming and make everyday life challenging for anyone, but it can be especially ...

If you're living with MS, you know by now that quitting smoking, getting exercise, and making smart food choices have all been shown to improve your physical health and your quality of life. There's one more tool that, when necessary, can be a game-changer. Joining me to talk about how assistive technology can help people living with MS maintain their independence and improve their quality of life are assistive technology experts Alex Burnham and Bill Binko. We'll also share one more reason wh...

Tamara Kaye Sellman is a poet, short story writer, journalist, and essayist. So, when she was diagnosed with MS in 2013, Tamara did what she does best -- she began writing about it. That writing turned into Intention Tremor, a book of poetry and prose written over the five years following Tamara's diagnosis. In this special episode, we'll talk with Tamara about how she chose to artistically interpret being diagnosed with MS. We'll discuss why she's quite literally invested in MS research. And T...

Eating well is an important part of a wellness plan. At first glance, making healthy food choices seems simple. But with so much conflicting information and opinion masquerading as fact on websites and in social media, what do you believe and where do you begin? Joining me to separate fact from fiction and share smart strategies that will get you started on solid nutritional footing is my guest, Mona Bostick. Mona is a registered dietician-nutritionist and a multiple sclerosis certified special...

Before the availability of MRI technology in the 1980s, MS was frequently misdiagnosed or even missed completely. Today, an MRI exam is a valuable tool in diagnosing MS, following disease progression, and evaluating someone's response to their MS treatment. Recently, a team of international experts updated the MRI recommendations for people living with MS. Dr. Scott Newsome, a member of that expert panel, is joining me today to talk about some of those recommendations and to help us understand ...

We met Dr. AJ Joshi, Chief Medical Officer at Atara Biotherapeutics, at ECTRMS 2019, when he gave us our first update on ATA 188, Atara's investigational cell therapy for MS. This is the third year in a row that we've connected with Dr. Joshi during ECTRIMS for an update on the progress of ATA 188. This year, he's also sharing news about an unexpected discovery that investigators encountered during their Phase 1 clinical trial (HINT: It's a pretty interesting discovery!) We'll get an advocacy ...

Just a couple of weeks ago, 9,000 MS research scientists and clinicians from 100 countries gathered virtually for the annual meeting of the European Committee for Treatment and Research in Multiple Sclerosis, otherwise known as ECTRIMS. The largest MS research conference in the world lived up to its name, featuring 200 speakers and 1,700 research abstracts. In what has become an annual RealTalk MS tradition, Dr. Bruce Bebo, the Executive Vice President of Research at the National MS Society, jo...

Research shows that more than 50% of the people living with MS will experience another chronic health condition in their lifetime. These additional health conditions, known as comorbidities, have been shown to negatively affect disability progression and health-related quality of life. In other words, living with comorbidities makes living with MS more challenging than it has to be. Joining me to talk about living with MS while managing and even avoiding comorbidities is Dr. Alissa Willis, Chai...