Tom’s Story
Imagine you are waiting in line for the bus. Your vision blurs, the floor shifts underneath you. You realise you’re lying on the floor surrounded by strangers. You open your eyes and hear people whispering “I think he’s drunk.”
This is exactly what Tom faced the first time he had a Multiple Sclerosis episode. It took a full year before doctors diagnosed the disease, and Tom became isolated and depressed.
An MS Centre was his only support, but it was there through a CoDa workshop, he discovered dance and found a new sense of community.
“I didn’t want to get involved in the dance classes, but as soon as I did, I felt better about myself and I want to do more. It’s a big part of my week.”
Tom then participated in a CoDa project where professional dancers brought his MS experiences to life through movement. He hopes that seeing this represented on stage will validate the experiences of other neuro-disabled people.
“Seeing my symptoms brought to life through light & dance was fascinating. I’ve never been able to fully explain it, but I really felt the dancers showed what it feels like for me each day. Everyone should see this to understand what it’s like to have MS”
