A Townsville man is putting on the glam to raise funds for MS Queensland

Townsville man Stephen Joyce will be dressed in drag as he spreads glitter and joy along The Strand, in a bid to raise awareness and funds for Multiple Sclerosis Queensland

TOWNSVILLE man Stephen Joyce will be dressed in drag as he spreads glitter and joy along The Strand, in a bid to raise awareness and funds for Multiple Sclerosis Queensland.

Standing at two metres tall in his heels with legs to die for and luscious locks to turn heads, the mental health nurse said his intent was to be a show stopper and for good reason.

At 31, Mr Joyce was diagnosed with the torturous disease where the immune system eats away at the protective covering of nerves, interfering with nerve impulses within the brain, spinal cord and optic nerves.

Symptoms vary from person to person, with the condition causing deterioration over time.

Mr Joyce said he counted himself as one of the “lucky ones” as he’s been able to continue his passion, working as a mental health nurse on reduced hours thanks to the support of Townsville Private Clinic.

Mental Health Nurse and diagnosed with MS, Stephen Joyce, will dress in drag along the Strand to raise money and bring awareness of the condition. Picture: Alix Sweeney

“I was never really the sort of a person with the bucket list of things to do, but when I got diagnosed there was a few things that I was like, ‘oh crap I better get moving now and get on with it’.

“I wanted to travel a lot and … just silly things like learning to ride my motorcycle which I’d always put off.

“The uncertainty is probably the worst thing about it.”

Mr Joyce has set himself a mission to raise as much money as he can for Multiple Sclerosis Queensland by riding his motorcycle around The Strand and CBD from 5pm on New Year’s Eve.

To donate online visit https://msqldevents. com.au/fundraise/champion/team-cure-ms/StephenJoyce

Originally published as A Townsville man is putting on the glam to raise funds for MS Queensland