Mike Gale was diagnosed with multiple sclerosis six years ago. The 49-year-old is a married, dad-of-three, a proud grandad, and works full-time. He couldn’t find anyone in a similar situation to him to relate to about the disease.
The Llantarnam resident said he’s had medical help, but hasn’t found people like him going through the same thing.
He has launched his own YouTube channel to raise awareness, share his journey, and help others going through similar challenges.
MS is a chronic, often disabling, disease that affects the brain and spinal cord. Mike now uses a wheelchair.
He said: “At the beginning of June, I did a video on my phone, just a bloke with my phone. I put it unedited, as it was, on YouTube. I didn’t know how to edit. I’ve learned a little bit more.
“I just want to help people, even if it just helps a couple of people. I’ve had a couple of messages. I don’t think I know anyone in the area with MS.”
He was jogging in 2015 and described his foot “flip flopping” on the floor, so this led to “back and forth trips” to the doctors, where he “finally got someone to listen to me.”
Optic neuritis
He had problems with his eyes in 2010 and was told he had optic neuritis, an inflammation of the optic nerve. Mike said this is a “red flag” for MS, but it was only years later, following his jogging incident, when he was given an MRI scan that led to the MS diagnosis.
The MS Society website says: “Although optic neuritis is associated with MS, not everyone who has optic neuritis will have, or go on to develop, MS. Many people will have optic neuritis with no further symptoms.”
Subscribe to Mike’s channel and follow his MS journey
Watch one of Mike’s recent videos: “Explaining MS to an Alien (…and Maybe PIP Too) 👽 | The Ultimate Guide to Invisible Illness”.