Changing the Narrative: Heidi Katz on MS, Stories, and Hope

 

Meet Heidi Katz, a beacon of hope in the relentless fight against Multiple Sclerosis (MS). As the president of the National MS Society in North Florida, Heidi has pioneered life-changing initiatives that have touched countless lives.

But beyond the titles and accolades, it’s the personal stories of individuals battling MS that truly showcase the depth of Heidi's passion. Listen today to Heidi as she shares her story:

1. Raising Awareness and Action: "Often in our work to raise awareness, which we put such a premium on, we do meet the dedicated people who become our change makers... We're very transparent with the work that we do. The feedback that I get from our amazing supporters is that they are fueled by the progress."

2. Curing MS: "When they [MS Society] first came out with that change in our mission statement... I thought, wow, that is incredibly bold for any nonprofit... It's not a question mark anymore."

3. Storytelling and Humanizing MS: "Personal stories are so powerful and there is no better way to talk about MS than through the personal stories of those who live with and are affected by the disease... MS is a terrible disease, but it affects real people. And their stories are the reason that the National MS Society staff and volunteers and supporters and fundraisers do what we do every day."

4. The Impact of Each Story: "If you meet one person who lives with MS and you hear their story, you've heard one story about MS. Everybody's journey is very, very different... Each one is different. Each one is unique. Each one has an impact, but the most important part is that each one is a real story and it's about a person."

LINKS:

• MS Navigator: https://www.nationalmssociety.org/Resources-Support/Find-Support/Ask-an-MS-Navigator
• National MS Society: https://www.nationalmssociety.org