By Aarti Vishal Mital
Life has a way of testing our strength when we least expect it. For me, that test began nearly three decades ago. I never imagined that a single morning would alter the entire course of my life — but it did.
My journey with Multiple Sclerosis (MS) started in 1998. I woke up and realized I had lost vision in one eye. At the time, awareness of MS in India was almost nonexistent. My condition went undiagnosed. I carried on with routine life, unaware that this was the first step into a lifelong relationship with an unpredictable illness.
The Early Days of Discovery
For almost three years I lived with uncertainty. Then, in 2001, everything changed. It began with a strange tingling and numbness in my feet. Slowly it turned into a burning sensation that crawled up my legs. Over weeks, the pain spread to my hands, face, and eventually most of my body. Those days were frightening. I didn’t understand what my body was going through, and the lack of awareness made it worse.
When I was finally diagnosed with Multiple Sclerosis, I knew little about the disease. I learned that MS is a chronic autoimmune condition where the immune system attacks myelin, the protective sheath around nerve fibers in the central nervous system. This disrupts communication between the brain and body, causing symptoms like vision loss, fatigue, pain, numbness, balance issues, and many invisible difficulties others can’t see or understand.
Learning to Live with MS
MS is unpredictable. You never know what might happen next. There were moments when my body refused to cooperate and even simple tasks felt monumental. I still remember one terrifying episode when my tongue suddenly began to swell and I couldn’t speak. Timely medical care helped me recover. That incident taught me a lasting truth: the right medical attention at the right time can mean the difference between crisis and control.
In 2009 I started Disease Modifying Therapies (DMTs). That was a turning point. The medicines didn’t cure MS — there is no cure — but they gave me stability. They allowed me to live better, to stand tall, and to help others through my story. Over time I learned to listen to my body, respect its limits, and still refuse to let the condition define who I am.
Finding Purpose Through Pain
After years of struggle, I realized I had a choice: let MS confine me, or turn it into something meaningful. I chose the latter. With that resolve, I began my mission to spread awareness about Multiple Sclerosis so others would not face the fear, confusion, and delayed diagnosis that I endured.
Today I serve as the Secretary of the Multiple Sclerosis Society of India, Hyderabad Chapter. There, I work to create awareness and support people living with MS. I speak at International Forum’s events, public gatherings, and even in airports — anywhere I can reach people. My goal is simple: educate society about early diagnosis, proper treatment, and emotional well-being. Over the years I’ve learned that awareness is the first step toward empowerment.
Recognition and Milestones
My advocacy for Multiple Sclerosis has been recognized nationally and internationally. These honors matter because they represent change, awareness, and progress. In 2021, I was humbled to receive the “Womennovator Global Summit – 1000 Women of Asia Award” for my efforts in spreading MS awareness. In 2025, I was honored with the “Dr. Sarojini Naidu – The Nightingale of India International Award for Working Women.”
While these awards bring pride, I see them as reminders of responsibility. Every person who hears my story and feels encouraged to seek early medical help is my true achievement. Every family that learns how to support a loved one with MS gives new meaning to my journey.
My Pillar of Strength: Family and Support
Through these years I’ve learned that managing MS is not just about physical health — it’s also about emotional strength and mental peace. I owe my resilience to my loving family and friends. Their unwavering support helps me stay balanced through the most difficult times. Stress is a major trigger for relapses, so staying calm and emotionally stable is essential.
Their encouragement keeps me motivated to face each day with grace. Their presence reminds me that while MS may affect the body, it should never be allowed to weaken the spirit. The love I receive from my family and the trust of those I support are what give me energy to keep going.
Becoming a Coach and Mentor
Over time my journey became a calling to help others beyond MS. As a life coach and mentor, I guide individuals to embrace life fully, no matter their challenges. I help people discover their inner strength and purpose, just as I discovered mine.
Through my sessions I remind others that life may not go as planned, but it remains beautiful if we choose to adapt, learn, and grow with grace. We cannot control what life brings, but we can control how we respond. That mindset has been my anchor.
My Message to the World
Through awareness drives, seminars, and daily interactions, I continue to share one message: Multiple Sclerosis is not the end — it’s just a new beginning. Early diagnosis, continuous treatment, and emotional balance can make a world of difference. I encourage everyone struggling with chronic illness to consult their neurologist regularly, follow prescribed therapies, and believe in recovery and improvement.
Today, looking back at 28 years of living with MS, I see not just struggle but strength; not just pain but purpose. My condition taught me patience, empathy, and resilience — qualities I may never have discovered otherwise.
A Life of Hope and Purpose
Every day I wake up with gratitude — for the people who stand beside me, the doctors who guide me, and the opportunities to touch lives through my words. My journey continues, and through it I hope to inspire others to live courageously even when faced with uncertainty.
To anyone reading my story: never lose hope. Challenges may slow you down, but they can also awaken the strongest parts of you. The key lies in faith, timely medical care, and self-compassion. MS may be a part of my life, but it does not define me. My spirit does. And I choose to live every day with strength, acceptance, and purpose — not just for myself, but for all those who walk this path beside me.
Life Coach, Mentor, International Speaker & Secretary – MSSI Hyderabad Chapter
