A Welsh-language presenter has opened up about his struggle with MS. Daf Wyn, who lives in Cardiff and is a notable face on S4C's Prynhawn Da and Heno, was diagnosed with Multiple sclerosis in May of last year.
Multiple sclerosis (MS) is a condition that can affect the brain and spinal cord, causing a wide range of potential symptoms, including problems with vision, arm or leg movement, sensation or balance. It's a lifelong condition that can sometimes cause serious disability, although it can occasionally be mild and in many cases, it's possible to treat symptoms.
Daf admits that when he initially found out he had the condition, his mind went to a "dark place". As a fit 30 year old man at the time, who had run several half marathons and walked to the foot of the world's highest mountain, the diagnosis came as a complete blow for him. But since then, the 31-year-old presenter hopes to use his experience to help others who may be going through the same situation.
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Last year, Daf began experience bouts of lightheadedness that he believed was due to an ear infection. "But once that cleared, it was still with me," he explained to WalesOnline.
"And then, it developed into this sort of feeling pressure around my head, and that would stay with me for around two to three seconds. My speech then became slurred and that would last for about two to three seconds as well. As a whole, the experience would be around five to seven seconds and then it would go."
Concerned that the symptoms would have an impact on his work in live TV, Daf decided to call his doctor, who feared these were symptoms of a stroke and referred the presenter to A&E at the University Hospital of Wales in Cardiff. Daf would spend a week in hospital and had to undergo various neurological tests and an MRI scan.
'A lot of people have heard of MS, but don't know exactly what it is'
Speaking of the experience, Daf said: "I went for a scan on Wednesday and then on Thursday my consultant told me that they were looking at an early diagnosis of MS, but they couldn’t confirm that until I went for a second MRI scan and a lumbar puncture.
"A lot of people have heard of MS, but don't know exactly what it is. In my head, I went to the worst place - I thought I would be bound to a wheelchair, I wouldn't be able to speak to my family and I would need help to do stuff. In the past, this has been true for many people and still is a reality for some.
"My neurologist consultant asked me if I had any questions and I told him to keep talking because at that point I was still coming to terms with it all. I was on my own in the hospital as well, so I called my girlfriend, Catrin, and within minutes she was there by my side.
"It was scary because you go to that dark place. It is a condition that at times makes you lose control over your body, but as I found out, there’s so much that has been developed in the last 15 years in regards to treatment."
'It took some time to accept that I have this condition'
The presenter decided to go for the Alemtuzumab treatment, which is a humanized monoclonal antibody therapy that breaks down the immune system in order to restart it. As a result, Daf decided to document his treatment as well as his journey of accepting his condition as a way of helping others with MS. The presenter admits that it hasn't been easy, but that the support he has received has helped him along the way.
"With MS, it’s what they call the 'snowflake disease' because it’s so different to everyone," Daf explained. "No person is the same. Of course, some symptoms can be the same - losing grip in either of your hands or losing speech, but they have a different effect on everybody. I’m still on that journey of discovering the triggers that cause my lightheadedness, what causes relapse and so on.
"It took some time to accept that I have this condition, but I've had a lot of help and support along the way. Every person that has MS has a nurse, my nurse is called Jackie and she’s wonderful. She’s a Welsh-speaker, which I’ve found really useful when you want to talk about your condition in your first language.
"I will always remember what she told me when we met right after my diagnosis and I was still very upset. I asked if this would continue or that I would be in a wheelchair, and she said: "By now, our expectation is that people die with MS rather than dying because of MS", and that was a turning point for me.
"At the time I was diagnosed with MS, there were 15 treatments available, by now there are 17 and potentially more on the horizon. Things are being developed all the time. It’s really encouraging and there’s a place to be positive.
"I have been lucky because I haven’t had any periods of losing my speech since then. My MS comes and goes, in other words the symptoms come and go. I haven’t had a relapse, but I do have bouts of lightheadedness. Compared to how it was last year, however, it's muted."
He added: "I decided to document my experience for others for a number of reasons. There are so many of us that have heard about MS, but don’t know what it is. A lot of us are going to think that it can be bad, and I have to stress that in some cases it can be, but also I wanted to show that there is treatment out there, some people can live with it.
"I’ve avoided Google at all costs, because that can be a dark path that I don’t want to go down. Because I could speak to the right people and get the right information, I’ve learnt to accept a bit quicker I think.
"I am also very lucky in the fact that I have Catrin, she has been very supportive. She, my family and Catrin’s family have been my rock. We are all positive people and I have made a point from the start to be as positive as I can, which isn’t easy at times, but I have tried to maintain positivity throughout and it has helped me come to terms with the shock of hearing those two letters."
'I wanted to use my voice to help others'
A programme, called Drych: Byw gyda MS (Mirror: Living with MS) on S4C, follows Daf's journey following his diagnosis of Multiple sclerosis. During the poignant and personal documentary, Daf talks to his nurse and consultant, as well as those affected by the condition in various ways.
He hopes by talking about it, it will help others with the condition to reach out to get the support they need to accept and come to terms with living with their diagnosis. He said: "I like talking, that’s what I do for a living.
"The documentary was like personal therapy for me, I wanted to know and learn more and that’s exactly what happened. I thought to myself, I’m starting this journey now, but there’s probably someone out there that is starting it as well - it can be so raw, emotional and very difficult at times. I wanted to use my voice to help others.
"The best advice that I can give to anyone that is going through the same situation is the best advice that was given to me a month after my diagnosis. Someone told me: be kind to yourself. And that is so true.
"I've always been someone that likes to keep myself busy, someone that's happy to do everything and say yes to everything. But there comes a point where you have to listen to your body and say perhaps not to day or maybe do it but not as quick or fast as I used to do it. Let the body decide what is best."
To follow Daf's journey, tune into 'DRYCH: Byw gyda MS' on S4C on Thursday, July 5, 9:00pm. English and Welsh subtitles are also available.
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