23 msfocusmagazine.org In 2006, I was working out at the gym when I experienced a sharp pain in my left shoulder. During the next two months, I went through intensifying agony and numbness in various parts of my body. Stubborn by nature, I assumed it was nothing more than a pinched nerve, and I followed my natural inclination that it wasn’t a big deal. That is, until it got so bad I could barely move. Before I suffered these initial symptoms, I thought I was healthy in every possible way. But, when I went to the hospital, I had no feeling from the chest down. I had to use my arms to pull myself out of the hospital bed. I could only maneuver through the room by stabilizing myself with anything I could grab. Otherwise, I was unable to control my body. Over the course of a five-night stay in the hospital, I went through a six-hour MRI, a spinal tap, and extensive blood tests. After all that, my neurological specialist came back with a diagnosis: multiple sclerosis. I prepared to face new challenges. First among them, my specialist told me that I’d need to use a walker at all times and that I’d be wheelchair-bound in the very near future. I refused to accept this fate. Instead, I put my faith in God and the physical training I’ve known for so many years: bodybuilding. I decided that my fight with this often debilitating disease was going to be in my battle field: the gym! And, because of my background, it was easy for me to dive right into workouts and a specialized nutrition regimen. My battle had begun: fitness against MS. In 2013, my wife, Kendra, and I founded a charity organization to help people fight MS: the MS Fitness Challenge. We want people with this disease to get off the couch and take an active role in fighting it. During the past few years, we’ve reached people all over the world and have helped them do just that. The purpose of the MSFC is to raise awareness about the importance of fitness, but it’s also about how fitness, and the assistance of a qualified support team, can truly help people overcome the challenges that come with this disease. We’re focused on educating people about the benefits of health and fitness in combatting MS. We also provide certified fitness training, nutritional guidance, and supplements from our sponsors. The MSFC pays for trainers and provides free membership at a fitness center for local individuals with MS who participate in one of our 12-week challenges. We rely on donations from supporters and business sponsors to fund this – many people Overcoming Disability Overcoming Disability at the Gym at the Gym By David Lyons Health & Wellness