At the MS Trust we strongly object to Multiple Sclerosis – MS being described as a terminal disease, as happened yet again yesterday in relation to the sad death of Gillian March. ‘Terminal’ is defined as “predicted to lead to death, especially slowly” (OED). We are all dying slowly but in fact the vast majority of people with MS will live fulfilling lives to an advanced age.
Premature death due to MS is almost invariably due either to suicide or to a failure to manage symptoms, which leads to secondary complications. With the care and treatment recommended by the NICE clinical guidelines, particularly in Mrs March’s case perhaps for depression, the outcome may not have been so sad. Increased suicide rate, particularly among young, non-disabled men diagnosed with MS, is unsurprising when MS is constantly portrayed as terminal.
We have therefore today sent a letter to both the BBC and ITV asking them to consider the language they use to report news items about people with MS — Multiple Sclerosis Trust