MS swimathon: Gladstone woman Kay Sherar shares her multiple sclerosis story

‘I hope to God that none of your kids ever get this’: A Gladstone woman who saw her mother battle a debilitating condition before she was diagnosed with it herself has shared her story of survival.

When Central Queensland woman Kay Sherar tells people in the community about her condition, people ask ‘what is that’.

She has been living with multiple sclerosis (MS) since at least 1988, and she says people in the bigger cities have a fair awareness of what the condition is, but is surprised at how many people in her current home of Gladstone don’t know about it.

MS is a condition where the immune system attacks the nerve myelin and can disrupt communication between the brain and other parts of the body.

Symptoms include weakness in one or more limbs, vision problems, pins and needles and dizziness.

There is no cure but modern treatments can help many sufferers keep the condition at bay.

Kay, 62, was diagnosed with the condition after her Mum, who also lived with MS, died in 1990.

She remembered when she temporarily lost eyesight in one eye a couple of years back.

“My Mum had it when I was about 13,” she said.

“I’ve lived with it through her first, and later on in life when I found out I had it.”

There weren’t as many treatments or as much awareness for MS back when her mother had the condition, but medical research and public knowledge have come leaps and bounds since.

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“I remember her, I was with her the night before she passed and I still remember her words to me: ‘Kay, I hope to God that none of your kids ever get this’.”

She knew something was up when she struggled to pick up a coffee cup, but Kay was diagnosed in 1992 at the age of about 31.

“She jinxed me there,” she said.

Kay was told by doctors and other people not to tell anyone about the condition because of stigma.

While things have changed, there’s still more to do.

She said there needed to be more treatment for MS, particularly her form which is known as ‘secondary progressive’.

Kay’s hoping she will soon be able to access a new treatment that’s currently available.

Kay Sherar at the MS Swimathon. PHOTO: Contributed

She found out about the MS Swimathon that was held in Gladstone on October 31 and went along to the event.

The MS Swimathon has been to eight towns and Gladstone was its second last stop before the last event at the Gold Coast.

Fundraising specialist Victoria Sergeant said it was the second time the event was held in Gladstone after the first in March 2020.

It was a 12 hour event focused on teams swimming relays and had activities like races, trivia and aquarobics.

“The event is a fundraising event so we ask participants to raise funds for people living with MS,” Ms Sergeant said.

“It’s also a really special day to help raise awareness within the community and to help raise funds.”

They’ve raised about $2000 and are still seeing funds come through.

Kay hopes to enter a team into the event next year and will try and promote it more.

MS Swimathon was held at Gladstone

Now, she has been medication-free for four years and her doctors have told her to keep up her great lifestyle.

She also has a network of other people with MS from Central Queensland.

Respite care provider Success Solutions has helped support Kay do some housework to take pressure off her husband Craig, who is currently recovering from surgery.

“The owner of Success Solutions actually asked me if I could have a talk to people at work so they have an idea of people with MS and how they can help and what sort of things happen with us,” she said.