A YES-supporting mum with multiple sclerosis (MS) has shared how her diagnosis finally gave her the confidence to run for election for the SNP.
Linsey Wilson, 41, was told she had relapsing remitting MS (RRMS) in October last year after experiencing sight loss in the bottom of her left eye, the right-hand side of her face going numb and a problem with her legs that left her walking around “like a drunken pirate”.
But instead of the condition getting her down, it led Linsey to pluck up the courage to try and become a councillor.
The mum-of-one had been politically active since the 2014 independence referendum and has been heading up the Yes Pollok group for the past two years.
But, despite wanting to, she had never felt she was knowledgeable enough to run for office.
She said her diagnosis changed her perspective though and she is now potentially on the verge of becoming an elected member for Partick East/Kelvindale.
She said: “I was the chairperson of my community council and I knew a ton about local issues but I didn’t have a degree in politics and I always felt like I didn’t know enough.
“It was my friend Anna who has just stepped down as a councillor who told me I definitely did know enough and I shouldn’t put myself down.
“Strangely, the MS made me realise the future is uncertain so I thought, while the going is good, just go for it.
“I think it was to prove to myself I could do it but also to family and friends. Some of them were going into panic mode and writing me off.”
Today is the last day of MS Awareness Week and Linsey was keen to speak out about her experiences to inspire those living with the condition to live life to the fullest, during an election campaign where the SNP has fielded a record number of disabled candidates.
With RRMS, Linsey can live a normal life most of the time but various symptoms will come and go and she is particularly vulnerable to relapses or flare-ups if she gets ill.
She regards herself as quite lucky – seeing as many others with MS will be confined to wheelchairs – and is determined to make the most of the better periods she has.
She has even been able to have chats on doorsteps about chronic conditions and has vowed to be a voice for disability rights in the chamber if voters back her.
Linsey, who has fundraised for the MS Society, added: “I am not hiding my diagnosis.
“My running mate Kenny McLean and the team have been really supportive and I have even had very interesting conversations with potential voters about chronic conditions and how I will make disability rights one of my main focuses.
“The strange thing is I used to be a lot more nervous about speaking in front of people and now I just think if you can go through diagnosis and be told you’ve got multiple lesions in your brain and come out the other side and think it is what it is, everything else doesn’t seem quite as daunting.
“I know the odds are probably stacked against me with the MS but I’m going to have a great time while I can.”
