Alun Armstrong suggests “we are on the verge of some really significant breakthroughs” in the fight against multiple sclerosis.
Alun Armstrong
The 'New Tricks' star is one of a host of celebrities teaming up with the MS society by appearing in a new film which aims to raise funds to fight the condition.
The 74-year-old actor has direct experience of MS, with his sister suffering from the disease, and their uncle who also had MS dying when they were young.
Alun said: “You could say that I’ve been living with MS – because of my sister – for 40 odd years.
"Anybody who is connected with MS and knows someone with it knows what a really debilitating and horrible condition it can be, especially with so many young people struggling with it.
"Your immediate reaction is always 'is there no medicine to stop this, is there no help that can be given?'
"I had an uncle who had MS when I was very little and he died quite young. Seeing the impact was heartbreaking.
“I was so fearful that my sister would end up like my uncle, and I just kept hoping there would be some real scientific breakthroughs discovered so she didn’t end up like that."
And Alun believes his sister's condition has “improved at least 50 per cent” with advances in treatment.
He added: “There didn’t seem to be anything for a really long time but even in the last few years things have been discovered that have really helped my sister – both directly with MS and with conditions related to it like migraines.
"She has been prescribed several new medicines over the last few years and I’d say she’s improved at least 50 per cent because of these new discoveries.”
And most encouragingly Alun says scientists have told him that “significant breakthroughs” in treatment are just around the corner.
He added: "We’re at a juncture in the fight against MS where the future looks really promising.
"And from what the scientists tell us, we are on the verge of some really significant breakthroughs in finding treatments to Stop MS.”
Alun is appearing alongside 'Game Of Thrones' star Kit Harington, his actress wife Rose Leslie, fellow actor Andy Serkis, chef Ainsley Harriott, radio DJ Scott Mills and comedian Ivo Graham, in the MS Society’s new ‘Team Stop MS’ campaign film which launches on Wednesday (14.07.21) The charity say that all those involved have a "close personal connection" to MS.
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