Dress The Heroes

ACTRESS SELMA BLAIR REFLECTS ON HER JOURNEY WITH MS WRITTEN BY KATHLEEN LYNN S elma Blair has gone through some dark, difficult times in the two years since she was diagnosed with multiple scle- rosis. But in a recent interview from her home in Los Angeles, the actress was clear: “I have not given up.” More than a year after an experi- mental treatment, she reports that her disease is in remission, and that a re- cent scan found no new lesions. “I am getting a lot better,” she says. To cope with her illness, Ms. Blair has learned to be an advocate for her- self, and she recommends the same to all the MS patients at Holy Name Medical Center. “I would say be strong in your con- viction that you deserve to be heard, and to find anything that moves the needle in your treatment,” she says. For her, that means working closely — mostly on Zoom during COVID-19 — with a team of special- ists, including a speech therapist, a physical therapist and a mental health counselor. In search of the best care, she has on occasion switched to a new doctor or physical therapist. And Ms. Blair is very mindful of her own needs and energy levels. “I make sure I schedule my time differently, because I have different endurance levels,” she says. 16