b'Being Visiblein Public Manypeoplestrugglewithdecisions about whether to beopen about having MS. Disclosurecarries some risks, but so doesfailingtodiscloselimitationsMS may cause you. Each personmust evaluate their personalcircumstances and decide whenit is wise to share information about their health with their family and friends,employers and coworkers, neighbors and community.If you choose to limit the number of people that know about your MS diagnosis,does that mean you cannot be visible for the MS cause? Not at all. You can choose tosupport the cause without revealing that it affects you personally. There are alsoopportunities for you to be visible in a way that is anonymous. Three Ways to Show Your Support Privately1. Participate in research. Whether through your doctors oce or online, research data is typically madeanonymous before it is shared. Visit www.iconquerms.org to participate in MSresearch from the comfort of your home.2.Join an online support group. While some social sites do require your real name, others allow you to create ascreen name not tied to your real identity. See some of the options for online supportat www.healthline.com/health/multiple-sclerosis/support-groups3.Make a donation. Reputable organizations like MS Focus respect your privacy. Though you must providea name to donate electronically, our strict privacy policy states that we will neversell, lease, share, or exchange donor information with other nonprot organizationsor commercial enterprises. Visit msfocus.org/Donate.aspx.When Disclosure is Needed At times, situations may arise that require you to publicly disclose some degree ofinformation about your health. For example, you might be confronted about using adisabled parking space or accessible bathroom stall if you dont require a mobility aid.Or perhaps a coworker or neighbor may notice changes to your walking or speech andmisinterpret the situation, perhaps thinking you are intoxicated or having a stroke. 14'