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Ann Langley
Country: Australia
Profession: Musician and retired teacher
Type of MS: Relapse remitting
Year of diagnosis: 1988
My primary emotion on being told I had multiple sclerosis was one of relief – at last a name for all the symptoms and problems for which my general practitioner had no answers. This diagnosis came in 1988, when Queensland obtained its first MRI diagnostic centre. The second neurologist had the answer after the MRI, the first neurologist had not been able to come up with any solution save to refer me to a psychiatrist. This happened to many people with MS in those days; psychiatrists also had no answers, save to prescribe anti-depressants! Helpful, no doubt, but not as helpful as a diagnosis.
At that time, I was solely concentrating on giving my children the best opportunities possible for their secondary and tertiary education after my husband’s death in 1972. This required a heavy workload, playing in orchestras, string quartets, (I play the viola), teaching music in primary and high schools, and working as a keyboard vocalist in a covers band. Many amusing anecdotes spring from these years, such as snatching ten minutes rest under a grand piano behind a stage curtain during breaks, and similar incidents.
As the family became independent, I retired from teaching and most of the playing activities to learn how to deal with this new problem in my life. I joined MS Queensland seeking further answers, and eventually became chairman of People with MS Queensland. I also prepared their state-wide monthly newsletter, MS Forum. With informative articles on topics such as dealing with symptoms and ways of minimising fatigue whilst working and running a household, Forum proved a stepping stone to the Australian-wide magazine, MS Life, which was first published during my time as president of People with MS Australia.
I am fortunate that my degree of disability is not severe and I have been able to focus much of my work on assisting those more affected by MS and other disabling diseases. I have always been keen to make the greatest use of community facilities and, if they don’t exist, to create them. When public transport for people with disabilities emerged as a problem, I helped Queensland Rail with advice on making passenger trains and stations accessible for people using wheelchairs. I also talked to bus operators about the same problems and set up a community transport operation to provide disability transport locally.
Accessible housing serving the needs of people with disabilities has also been high on my list for action. Accessible housing is more than just ramps; it refers to the whole interior design, the need for which is now being recognised worldwide. Another of my interests is to see younger people with disabilities being able to live in their own communities, not in nursing homes designed for aged care.
Ann is the 2007 James D. Wolfensohn Award for International Person with MS winner. Read more about her work and achievements. Ann will be attending MSIF’s biennial Council, Board and Committee meetings in Prague, Czech Republic in October 2007 and will also be presenting the topic of Daily Life at the Prague 07 – Living with MS: Today and Tomorrow event, being held on Wednesday 10 October at the Prague Congress Centre.
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