A marathon runner with multiple sclerosis has backed a campaign to educate the public on living with the condition.
Colin Goodman, 38, from Belfast, was diagnosed with MS in 2017 and said it has driven him to achieve more, completing multiple marathons, five ultra marathons and starting a podcast.
More than 130,000 people live with MS in the UK, including an estimated 5,000 people in Northern Ireland.
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Mr Goodman stressed that MS is unpredictable and different for everyone.
On MS Awareness Week, he has joined the MS Society, MS Trust, Overcoming MS, MS Together, shift.ms, MS-UK and MS National Therapy Centres to highlight the varying realities of living with MS to aid the general public's understanding.
Mr Goodman's symptoms included optic neuritis, a swelling which damages the optic nerve.
"Before I was diagnosed I was struggling with symptoms, didn't know what was going on and that was making me unhappy," he said.
"While being told you have MS is hardly ideal, it did at least explain the issues I had and it has driven me on to actually do more and more and to turn my life around.
"I've reached the point that it is motivating me to get up and achieve as much as I can, and get as much out of my body as possible. I want an extraordinary life and not to settle for an ordinary one.
"MS made me try to run the length of Ireland in nine days, it also made me fail at that but get up and try again.
"I think that when my health was in question I took that as a challenge to be positive, so I've tried to get healthier, fitter and happier.
"I know that isn't possible for everyone but it is for me, so I am quite literally running with that idea. "It has also changed little things for me. But the little things add up.
"I will go out running even in the worst rain, wind and snow, I don't want to give up, I don't want to miss an opportunity.
"I'll hold my wife's hand in public, I'll always pick up my kids when they ask. I just don't want to miss an experience."
David Galloway, director at the MS Society NI, said it is proud to have come together with six other charities to launch the MS Makes Me campaign.
"This campaign has been shaped by insights from the MS community and we're incredibly grateful to Colin for playing a crucial role by sharing his story," he said.
"We know that MS can be painful and relentless, but it can also be hopeful and transformative for some people. Through £MSMakesMe we want to show that no two people's MS is the same and that it can impact everyone differently.
"Most importantly, we hope this will open up conversations about the reality of living with a chronic condition and signpost people to the support us and the other charities offer.
"Our free MS helpline is available to anyone affected by MS, we run a resource centre in Belfast and have MS support groups across Northern Ireland.
"We urge people living with MS to find out what support is available locally by visiting our website or getting in touch."
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