Awareness

Tomorrow marks the end of Myasthenia Gravis Awareness Month. The question I have to ask is why do we need a special month?

To those of us with Myasthenia Gravis, we’re aware of it all the time. It plays a role in nearly everything we do. Our day is scheduled around medication, our physical abilities are limited by fatigue, our voices are quieted by hoarseness. We’ve become accustomed to living in this fashion. It doesn’t last for a month; it lasts for a lifetime.

Our friends, loved ones and caregivers are also reminded daily of the effects of MG. They help us, provide support, pick up on the things we have difficulty doing and willingly step in to help.

Myasthenia Gravis Awareness Month is really for those who aren’t familiar with what MG is or what it does to a person. Even as prevalent as it is today, most people haven’t even heard of it or know what it is. June is the month dedicated to helping explain Myasthenia Gravis and giving people an understanding of how it affects those who have it.

That’s well and good, but I still come back to the question, why do we need a special month? As ambassadors of MG, we should be actively educating others year round. We should wear our teal colors proudly anytime we want. The more people who know about Myasthenia Gravis, the more emphasis will be placed on it and the more research will be conducted.

It’s not that we want people to feel sorry for us or treat us any differently. It’s that we want to make people aware so research dollars can go to MG research. We want new medications. We want new therapies. Most of all, we want a cure, and that will only come when more people are aware of the disease.

June is almost over, but I challenge you to not let up. Keep pushing MG awareness. Enlighten people about Myasthenia Gravis. Make every day Myasthenia Gravis Awareness Day.