To most people living with it, the letters "MS" mean more than "multiple sclerosis." MS can mean:

• Giving up on old goals and setting new ones
• Making the most of every day
• Knowing that with MS, you should expect the unexpected
• Sometimes having to depend on others to do daily tasks

MS isn't just a collection of symptoms such as a paralysis, debilitating fatigue or loss of vision - it's an unpredictable disease that can rob you of your independence and overall quality of life. And MS doesn't just affect those who are diagnosed - spouses, children and other loved ones are also impacted.

We get involved in causes we understand. Unfortunately, many people simply don't understand what MS is or what it does to all those affected by it.

We are trying to change that by asking everyone who has been touched by MS to tell us what MS means to them. By collecting just a few of the thousands of local MS stories, we hope to make more people aware of what MS really is and get more people involved in our movement to create a world free of MS.