Actress Selma Blair Opens up About Her Diagnosis with M.S.

Hollywood actress Selma Blair has publicly opened up about her living with Multiple Sclerosis, since her diagnosis in August.

Multiple Sclerosis is a chronic disease of the central nervous system that disrupts the flow of information within the brain, and between the brain and body. More than 2.3 million people currently deal with M.S. worldwide. Some famous people who have M.S. are Jack Osbourne, Anne Romney, and Clay Walker. It affects the central nervous system. It can affect walking and speech ability. There are four different types of M.S. so almost every patient presents the symptoms differently. Women are twice as likely as men to get M.S. One of the final stages of M.S. can be paralysis. Although there is currently not a cure, there are treatments that have worked well, like physical therapy and medicine.

“I think that Selma Blair’s story is truly inspiring and it is amazing how she continues to live her life to the fullest. I really admired her persistence during these hard times in her life. It inspired me to have motivation in my own daily life,” says Isabella Duarte (‘21).

Recently, she had a interview with Good Morning America and came out with an article in Vanity Fair. She also graced the red carpet at the Oscars this February, where she was photographed with a cane, since she now has trouble walking.

“I thought it was really inspiring how she walked the red carpet, even though it is hard for her to walk,” says Isabela Mocsari (‘20).

Selma Blair has been in blockbusters like “Legally Blonde” and “Cruel Intentions”. Blaire revealed to Good Morning America that she has known for years that something was not right with her, because she would often drop things, fall, and have to take frequent naps. She also revealed that doctors did not take her seriously for a while, so that is why it took a few years for her to find out that she has M.S. Blair said that her doctor told her that within a year there is a very good chance that she could have 90 percent of her abilities back.

“Personally, I have struggled with gut health issues for nearly five years. Most doctors are quick to prescribe medications to treat symptoms rather than trying to determine the root cause. It’s an unfortunate consequence of our financially driven medical care system. Additionally, the food we eat is literally killing us. Whenever people complain about various symptoms (e.g., anxiety, fatigue, difficulty concentrating, etc), my first thought is always, “What are they eating?” Perhaps Selma Blair’s experience will draw attention to chronic illness and the importance of an accurate diagnosis. In the meantime, I think we need to clean up our diets and environment because they are contributing to the problem,” says High School Registrar Lori Troutman.