Maz Gould, 27, was diagnosed with relapsing-remitting multiple sclerosis (MS) in August 2025 after experiencing a tingling sensation down her neck. The diagnosis came after an MRI revealed lesions on her brain and spine.
First symptoms and diagnosis
Gould first noticed a tingling sensation down the back of her neck and across her shoulder about a year before her diagnosis. She assumed she had pulled a muscle and ignored it. Months later, she experienced numbness down her left side, burning skin, loss of arm strength, fatigue, brain fog, and headaches. After a GP visit and physio exercises, an MRI was ordered. The next day, she was told there was an anomaly in her brain, and two weeks later, she received the confirmed diagnosis.
According to the MS Society, having a parent with MS gives a 1.5% chance of developing the disease. Gould's mother was diagnosed in 1999 at a similar age. Her mother suffered severe relapses, including loss of speech and mobility, pins and needles, and memory loss. She once collapsed and dragged herself across the landing to call for help. She eventually had to stop working and used a walking stick. After nine years in remission, she manages the disease day by day.
Treatment and daily life
Gould began treatment five months after her first GP visit. She opted for Ofatumumab, a disease-modifying therapy administered as a monthly injection at home. So far, her MS has stabilized with no relapses or new symptoms. However, she still experiences difficulty stringing sentences together, heaviness, tiredness, and numbness on some days.
Gould says her mother blamed herself after the diagnosis, but she has since been a supportive role model. 'Ultimately, my mum is a role model to me – and a living example that life doesn’t have to stop at a few lesions,' Gould said.
