The Other Side of MS
Unfiltered voices. Uncomfortable truths. Deep humanity.
"MS is like having a roommate that you never invited to live with you, and they're always messing with your stuff."
"The hardest part isn't the physical symptoms, it's having to constantly explain to people why you can't do what you used to do."
"Sometimes people just don't need a silver lining. They need empathy. They need someone just to sit with them in that moment and say, 'Hey, I hear you.'"
"Where was the second half of this story — where we have these amazing medical breakthroughs and innovative research to prevent that from happening?"
"MS is isolating. But you're not alone. You have to be proactively not alone."
"I'm not gonna let this… be the decision maker for anything in my life. I'm not gonna sit on the sidelines and miss out on incredible opportunities because I have MS… it's been the reason I've done most of the things in my life since I was diagnosed."
"We need to go from awareness to action to impact… And that means changing the conversation from something daunting or taboo to something we celebrate—recovery, support, and the courage to ask for help."
Every story is a voice. Every voice deserves to be heard. Donations help us keep sharing them.
Why these stories matter
The Other Side of MS isn't here to inspire you. It's here to show you what it really means to live with MS—the chaos behind the smiles, the invisible symptoms, the quiet grief, the complicated resilience.
This podcast creates a space where people with MS can tell their stories without performance, without toxic positivity, and without being reduced to a diagnosis.
These aren't highlight reels or polished success stories. They're raw conversations—sometimes uncomfortable, always honest.
Here, we don't ask guests to be brave. We ask them to be real. Because MS isn't just a disease—it's a life that keeps unfolding in ways most people never see. We explore the parts most people avoid: the rage, the fear, the mourning of who you used to be, and the strength that doesn't come with a cape—but with survival.
This podcast isn't about the host. It's about the people who live with MS—who deserve to be seen, heard, and understood not as heroes or fighters, but as complex humans trying to make it through another day.
Inspiration might happen too. This podcast creates the space—so if their honesty happens to inspire you, let it.
Featured Voices
Katie Heckert
Katie Heckert
"I didn't leave law because I lost passion. I left because my body gave me no choice."
Katie was a litigator with a sharp mind and a powerful voice. But MS forced a different path—one filled with uncertainty, resilience, and new meaning. This episode isn't just about what MS takes—it's about what it reveals.
Dr. Dee
Dr. Dee
"Compassion doesn't have to come from shared diagnosis. Sometimes, it's a choice."
Most people wouldn't expect a veterinarian to be deeply involved in the MS community—but that's exactly what makes Dr. Deanna "Dee" Greer's story worth hearing. As owner and Medical Director of Birch Island Veterinary Center in Jacksonville, Florida, she has spent her career listening to those who can't speak—animals in pain, suffering in silence. But it's her personal connection through her husband's former spouse, who lives with MS, that led her to become an annual donor to the National Multiple Sclerosis Society.
Episode Archives
S3_E8: Katie Heckert - Finding Strength in Vulnerability
Guest: Katie Heckert • May 19, 2025
Katie was a litigator with a sharp mind and a powerful voice. But MS forced a different path—one filled with uncertainty, resilience, and new meaning. This episode isn't just about what MS takes—it's about what it reveals.
S3_E7: The Compassion You Don't Expect – with Dr. Deanna Greer
Guest: Dr. Dee • May 12, 2025
Dr. Dee, a veterinarian and owner of Birch Island Veterinary Center, shares her personal connection to MS through her husband's former spouse and why she became an annual donor to the National MS Society.
S3_E6: Cori - Sometimes, MS Is a Lesson for the Ones Who Watch
Guest: Cori • Apr 18, 2025
Cori shares her journey with MS and how she's learned to navigate life's challenges with resilience and determination, offering a raw and honest look at the realities of living with MS.
S3 _ E5: Zohra - The MS Day No One Sees
Guest: Zohra • Apr 14, 2025
Zohra shares her raw, unfiltered experience of living with MS, including the invisible symptoms and daily challenges that most people never witness.
S3_E4: Pam Grimes: Strength, Stencils, and Showing Up Anyway
Guest: Pam Grimes • Apr 07, 2025
Pam shares her experience navigating MS with grace and humor, offering insights into how she's adapted to life's challenges.
S3_E3: Becca - Becca's Unfiltered Journey with MS
Guest: Becca • Mar 31, 2025
Becca offers an unfiltered look at her journey with MS, discussing the daily challenges and unexpected moments of strength she's discovered along the way.
S3_E2: Amber Cunningham - The Journy of Transformation, Finding Why Through MS
Guest: Amber Cunningham • Mar 24, 2025
Amber discusses the daily challenges of MS, the misconceptions others have, and how she's learned to advocate for herself.
S3_E1: Jasmine Hanna - Conquering Life with MS; from Diagnosis to Advocacy
Guest: Jasmine Hanna • Mar 17, 2025
Jasmine discusses her approach to embracing life's journey with MS, sharing wisdom and practical advice for others facing similar challenges.
Why We Ride: A Tribute to Karyn Laterza
Guest: Multiple Bike MS - Georgia Peach Ride
Spokes of Strength, A Bike MS Panel Conversation
Guest: Erik Henderson, Cher Herman-Darville, Bobby Small
MS, Suicide, and Mental Health
Guest: Dr. Sally Spencer-Thomas, Dr. Marin Collazo, and Heidi Katz
Contact Us
Have a story to share or just want to share your comments? Reach out to me directly: