Review
"A newly diagnosed person with MS who is shocked and feels fully unaware of what to expect will find the book very valuable...sends a message of positivism and audacity." - MSCare (online)
"This is a call-to-arms for those living with multiple sclerosis (MS) to take control of their lives and be empowered by someone living with MS. Stachowiak (author of the MS pages on About.com) takes the reader through the basics of the condition, outlining what types of MS there are and the symptoms, treatment, and professional care available. She blends that information with the practical and sometimes intangible aspects of emotional health and enjoying life. With a conversational but authoritative voice, this a positive joy to read and work through. In each of the 12 chapters are brief texts explaining how readers can Do Your Best,' "Know Your Stuff,' 'Make It Better,' and 'Take Charge.' None of the concepts covered here are new, but it is refreshing and powerful to have them all gathered in one text. One downside: Some of the chapter headings are unclear.Verdict This is an excellent overview of the current state of MS knowledge, coupled with empowering tools for those living with it. Patrons could use it as a launching pad to continue research on their own."-Elizabeth J. Eastwood, Los Alamos P.L. Syst. NM, Library Journal, January 2010
"I wish this book was around when I was first diagnosed with MS. It is straightforward, honest, and practical. A must for anyone living with MS."-Amelia Davis, President of MS Friends, and author of My Story: A Photographic Essay on Life with Multiple Sclerosis
"The Multiple Sclerosis Manifesto is a significant resource for people living with MS. Dr. Stachowiak has drawn on her own experiences with MS in providing a very helpful resource to others who must navigate the real-world to address challenges, barriers, and opportunities. It also demonstrates how people can address these issues individually and collectively to improve the world for themselves and others."-David Chatel, Executive Vice President of Advocacy, National Multiple Sclerosis Society
"Delivers a declaration of war on MS and arms the MS community with an arsenal of pre-emptive strikes encouraging patients to take control of their illness-fully-informed and with dignity. This is the best damn discussion for people with MS and their family and friends. With the Manifesto in hand, hold a mirror up to your MS-self and see clearly how to tactically push back against this insidious disease."-Jeffrey N. Gingold, author of the award-winning book, Facing the Cognitive Challenges of Multiple Sclerosis and Mental Sharpening Stones: Manage the Cognitive Challenges of Multiple Sclerosis
"Issues are comprehensively addressed. Her academic credentials and status as someone with multiple sclerosis make her uniquely qualified to write about this complicated disease with expert knowledge and great sensitivty." - Caphis Consumer Connection Newsletter of the Medical Library Association
(MSCare (online) 20100401) --Library Journal
About the Author
Julie Stachowiak, Ph.D., is About.com's Multiple Sclerosis Guide. In 1993 she co-founded one of the first non-governmental AIDS/HIV organizations in Russia. AIDS infoshare has grown to be the most influential non-governmental organization dealing with the HIV epidemic in Russia. Julie left this organization when she was diagnosed with MS in 2004. Her work with the AIDS community informed her embrace of her own disease and her political stance on living with a chronic condition. She is a contributing author of myriad books and earned her doctorate degree in International Disease Control and Prevention from Johns Hopkins University Bloomberg School of Public Health.
