MSWA Bulletin Spring 16

muMS GROUP - A SHARED
SPACE TO TALK ABOUT
MOTHERHOOD AND MS
SARAH LORRIMAR, HEALTH EDUCATION AND PEER SUPPORT COORDINATOR
The MSWA muMS group is a newly formed support group for
women living with MS who are expectant mothers or mothers
of babies and children under the age of seven.
Held every two months at Heathcote Reserve in Applecross,
the group is facilitated by two MSWA Counsellors, Liesl
Murdoch and Jean Hudson. Each meeting is semi-structured
but the focus is on the mums sharing their experiences with
each other.
Coming together as a group provides an opportunity for
mums living with MS to meet with others living in similar life
circumstances. The group members offer support to each
other and discuss their concerns, thoughts and feelings. It is
also a place to learn new information, not only on parenting
but also to share their tips on how they manage MS symptoms
that influence their day to day activities. For example, sharing
knowledge on fatigue management and meal preparation.
The muMS group provides a sense of belonging, reminding
Members there are other mums out there living with
MS and when needed, mums can draw on this support.
To keep in contact between meetings, the mums can be part
of a muMS Facebook group that is overseen by one of the
group participants.
The dynamic group has mums who are both new and
experienced, with children aged from infant years through to
preschool. This provides a welcome diversity and variety of
experiences to be shared. Group members come from across
Perth; including Northern and Southern suburbs and out to
the Swan Valley.
Previous meetings have seen around six to eight mums attend
and the group is hoping to expand, warmly welcoming any
new Members.
To make sure you are updated with upcoming events and
groups such as the muMS group, please keep MSWA updated
with any new additions to your family to ensure you don’t
miss out!
If you are interested in coming along to the next muMS
group, please contact Sarah Lorrimar on 9365 4858 or
Sarah.Lorrimar@mswa.org.au
Upcoming meetings
Tuesday 18 October, 10am-12pm,
Swan House Meeting Room, Heathcote Reserve, Applecross
Tuesday 13 December, 10am-12pm,
Swan House Meeting Room, Heathcote Reserve, Applecross
NEWLY DIAGNOSED SEMINAR
SARAH LORRIMAR, PEER SUPPORT AND EDUCATION COORDINATOR
On August 11 the Living Well with MS seminar, for people
newly diagnosed with MS, was held at The Boulevard Centre
in Floreat.
These sessions provide an overview of MS and treatments,
an introduction to living with MS and the MSWA supports
available. Fortunately, the heavy rains didn’t deter people
from coming along, with a great turnout of 38 attendees,
including some friends and family.
Professor Allan Kermode, an MS Neurologist, started the
evening off by providing a very informative overview of MS. His
presentation explained the different types of MS, symptoms
and potential causes of MS which have appeared over time.
He also discussed the history of treatments for MS and the
range of options available now, including new medications
and current research into improving the management of MS.
Representatives from the MSWA Nursing, Counselling,
Occupational Therapy and Physiotherapy teams then provided
brief summaries of the services available at MSWA. These
included services such as fatigue management programs,
exercise programs, massage, education and various therapy
options…just to name a few!
The seminar was a wonderful opportunity for people to
meet others living a similar experience whilst being able to
receive useful and valid information from informed health
professionals.
If you would like to attend the next Newly Diagnosed
Seminar or would like any further information for yourself
or someone you know, please contact 9365 4888.
MSWA BULLETIN SPRING 2016 | 17