“A doctor had suggested working out in the water to help ease the symptoms of my MS. This place was convenient and at the time, SWIM Inc. (a water exercise program for those with limited mobility) came here. I just needed to get in the water, and my mother, who was an avid swimmer, kept pushing. I found it to be helpful. Then, I got a call from Kessler Foundation and they were doing a clinical trial with the MS Water Exercise Program at the Y. All you had to do was exercise, and I thought, I can do that. That was five years ago. Exercise had always been a part of my life and I wanted to continue with it. I was disappointed when I started having difficulty walking. I started working with the instructors here and they were very helpful. They told you specifics of what could help. And the camaraderie, that was definitely a draw; you talk to people about their symptoms. If my week was perfect, I would be here five days. This is medicine for me. It’s everything, the whole picture. It’s not just the water or the exercise, it’s the friendships, the whole combination. The people in the programs, they know their experiences and can convey them to me. For those who may be newly diagnosed with MS, keep trying. Don’t stop trying. There will be good days and there will be bad days. Keep at it and keep going. No matter what. Just keep doing something. Keep moving.”

For more information on our MS Land and Water Exercise programs, click here.