'My life with multiple sclerosis'

Dan O'Brien, from Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada, was diagnosed with MS in 1996. Three years later his wife, Karen Sherwood, was diagnosed with the same condition. Mr O'Brien's cousin Helen McDougall also has MS.

Mr O'Brien's ancestors were the McNeils from Barra in Scotland. In the past he has used a stick to help him walk, but he does not need one at the moment.

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It's unusual to have married couples where both have MS.

That is, it's unusual for us because when we were married neither of us had MS or any symptoms that we knew about.

At first, Dan O'Brien denied having MS

I was diagnosed in about 1996.

All three of us had the experience of the diagnosis taking a long time.

They looked at everything else. In Karen's case she was diagnosed with Ménière's Disease, which is a balance disorder in the ears, kind of being clumsy.

We live with MS, but it's not, it's definitely not an important part of how we live. I mean, a lot of people would be surprised when they see this, that we have MS.

Some people know and some people don't.

We don't disclose it to everyone. We don't not disclose it but, earlier on, I didn't.

Earlier on, when I was first diagnosed, before Karen was diagnosed, I wouldn't tell anyone.

In fact, I denied it.