MS services divided for city residents

By Cynthia Bigrigg

Multimedia Journalist

For people affected by multiple sclerosis, living on different sides of the border means a world of difference.

Nobody knows this better than Ean Bull and Nicole Rolfes, two local residents who are affected by MS. Both have joined the Action on MS campaign, which calls on the federal government to ensure people with MS are provided with employment opportunities, income support when they are unable to work, and support for their caregivers.

Ean Bull is a successful entrepreneur who employed his partner, Karen, for 15 years. Four years ago, Karen was diagnosed with relapsing-remitting MS. As her memory worsened, she became unable to continue working and Ean became her primary caregiver.

Its been a tough, uphill battle, said Bull.

The couple live on an acreage in Saskatchewan. Bull said he believes its easier for people living in Alberta to access treatment for MS than it is for those living in Saskatchewan.

The nearest MS clinic is in Saskatoon, so if anything goes wrong, its a two-and-a-half hour drive there and back, said Bull, who added that when Karen needs an MRI to assess the lesions on her brain, in Lloydminster she can get an appointment on either side of the border, but that, too, poses a challenge.

If the Alberta side comes back first, we need to report to the MS clinic in Saskatoon for results. The MS clinic cant get an Alberta MRI. You drive all the way down there hoping to have results, and you get nothing.

Originally posted here:
MS services divided for city residents