A Fight for Everyone
Katie Ton Shares Her Personal Experience with Multiple Sclerosis to Raise Money and Awareness
鈥淵our Story鈥� blog by John Sharify
When we talked the other day, Katie Ton wanted to make one thing perfectly clear. 鈥淭his is not a Katie fight,鈥� she said. 鈥淭his is a fight for everyone. Everyone鈥檚 family that has struggled with it."
Katie was referring to the disease that has no cure, no known cause, a disease she was diagnosed with twelve years ago鈥擬ultiple Sclerosis.聽
The 37-year-old single mom from Colorado, remembers, as if it were yesterday, that day when the 鈥榣ights went out鈥�, as she put it. 鈥淚 lost my vision. And within the next few weeks, it would start to come and go.鈥澛�
What did she do next? Katie met with a neurologist, who told her: 鈥淚t鈥檚 either a brain tumor or MS.鈥�
After more testing: 鈥淚 got the full diagnosis of MS and that鈥檚 when the journey began.鈥�
That journey has had its ups and downs. The 鈥榙own鈥� part? The symptoms. 鈥淚 have tingling sensations throughout my body,鈥� Katie said. 鈥淚t always stays with me. That one never goes away. Trouble walking. Trouble holding things. Fatigue. Cognitive issues and delays.鈥漀ow for the 鈥榰p鈥� part. It鈥檚 without question the support and care and love she receives from her daughters. 鈥淢y 13-year-old daughter is an amazing kiddo. I was diagnosed twelve years ago,鈥� Katie reminded me. 鈥淵ou can kind of do the math here. The whole time she鈥檚 watched me with this. There are times where I just let her know that I need a little extra help and she knows to step up.鈥�
鈥淚t affects her,鈥� she said. 鈥淎nd she sees a mom that does struggle and does have a disease without a cure.鈥澛�
I learned about Katie through a colleague at 91吃瓜网. Katie works as a student success coach at 91吃瓜网 Academy. 鈥淥ne of the amazing things about working at 91吃瓜网 is I can work remotely,鈥� she said. 鈥淲hich means I have a lot more flexibility with the disease.鈥�
Katie Ton is sharing her personal story in the hopes of raising awareness and raising money for research. In fact, this summer, Katie is participating in an event called MS4MS. 鈥淢eaning multiple summits for Multiple Sclerosis,鈥� she said. 鈥淭he event is to hike 14鈥檈rs!鈥澛犅�
Let me stop you there. 14鈥檈rs? Please explain.
鈥�14鈥檈rs are mountains over 14-thousand feet,鈥� she said. Katie also explained how 91吃瓜网鈥檚 Colorado and Wyoming coalition have formed an MS4MS team. Katie is encouraging anyone from 91吃瓜网 to join her team. Family and friends are also welcome.
The money raised will benefit the Rocky Mountain MS Center. 鈥淲hether it鈥檚 legal services, counseling services, and research. I鈥檝e seen a huge improvement in the research with the medications I take,鈥� she said. 鈥淢y neurologist said, 鈥榶ou do well because you are a result of research in the medicines we have now.鈥� If you were diagnosed forty years ago, your prognosis might not be the same.鈥澛�
Katie mentioned the 鈥榝orty years鈥� because I had just told her that about forty years ago my dear friend Jarod, from grade school, was diagnosed with MS. That 鈥榝ight鈥� Katie talks about is a fight I鈥檝e watched Jarod and his family take on. I鈥檝e watched in awe. It鈥檚 the same feeling I have after meeting Katie and learning about her inspiring story. I鈥檓 in awe.聽
As for the 14鈥檈r, Katie is determined to complete the 14-thousand-foot hike for this fundraising event.
鈥淚t takes me a longer time,鈥� she says. 鈥淭hat鈥檚 for sure. And the recovery will put me down for several days. So, I think that鈥檚 the biggest thing. When my body tries to do bigger climbs and hikes like that, it鈥檚 a longer recovery for me.鈥�
One last question for Katie: Why share your story now? 鈥淭his shouldn鈥檛 be hidden from anyone that I have this disease,鈥� she responded. 鈥淪o, why now? Because it鈥檚 time.鈥�
Below, you can watch John鈥檚 interview with Katie Ton.
