For staff at Bellarine Community Health (BCH), the May 50K event became a personal challenge after a colleague recently revealed she was suffering from multiple sclerosis (MS).
In 2024, 47-year-old BCH staffer Kate McLean received the shock diagnosis of MS. She had suffered years of chronic migraines, headaches and fatigue but had put the symptoms down to being a busy working mother of three teenagers.
“The diagnosis knocked the wind out of our sails, and the fear was very real. But the more educated we became, I realised that ending up in a wheelchair is not definite, in fact, it’s not even likely,” she said.
MS strikes young people in the prime of their lives with the average age of diagnosis just 30 years old. There is no known cure.
“My neurologist told me that when he was in medical school in the 2010s, there were only four types of MS treatments available, now there are more than ten. I thank my lucky stars that we live in this wonderful country where my very expensive treatment every six months is free.”
Kate recently revealed her condition to colleagues at BCH who are now throwing their support behind the May 50K event to walk and run 50km throughout May.
Kate says she is incredibly grateful for the support of her colleagues and BCH to help raise funds for ongoing research.
“It’s been a tough ride so far, but made so much easier thanks to my beautiful family, gorgeous friends, amazing work colleagues and our health system,” she said.
“My outlook on so many things has changed. I’ve learnt to start putting myself first. I doubt we will find a cure in my lifetime, but more treatment options would be ideal.”
Kate says her GP gave her some great advice which she is following: ‘Make friends with your MS – be kind to it and it will be kind to you’.
Donations can be made at themay50k.org/fundraisers/bellarinecommunityhealth
