Gai Helm

“I knew there would be a positive to having MS"

MS Ambassador Gai Helm was a very busy fifty-year-old mother of two, who was studying full time and living on “adrenalin” when diagnosed with multiple sclerosis – the most common chronic neurological disease effecting young Australians.

Having lived with episodic and random experiences of dizziness and balance disturbance, weakness, tingling and numbness which at the time, were thought to be apparently “unrelated” symptoms that lasted for almost five years prior to her diagnosis Gai experienced sudden increased weakness. This led to a medical consultation and resulting brain scans -  checking for either a brain tumour or stroke. After an extended period of “wait and see” status, Gai was understandably feeling somewhat like a “hypochondriac”.

Fast forward another couple of years and more medical consultations, Gai was finally diagnosed with relapsing-remitting multiple sclerosis.   This active and independent woman was understandably upset, but in time put it all in perspective, slowly adjusted and continued to complete her degree in Interior Architecture.

Gai hasn’t allowed MS to limit her activities very much, travelling overseas, enthusiastically throwing herself into community activities, volunteering on a regular basis by facilitating two MS Peer Support group and is a dedicated MS Ambassador, sharing with the community the reality of living with MS, an incurable chronic illness. 

The MS Ambassador Program highly recommends MS Ambassador Gai Helm, who has seized the moment to design her life around the challenges thrown in her way.