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Amanda Piron:
MS scholarship recipient and Summer Adventure Camp participant
  When Amanda Piron was diagnosed with
relapsing-remitting MS at 17, she decided
that “MS doesn’t have to be something that
gets in the way” of everyday life and aspirations for the
future.
Today, Amanda is a vibrant, ambitious and
determined young woman who has a passion for
theatre. She won an MS Society of Canada scholarship
and is currently enrolled in the Theatre
Drama and Performing Studies program at the
University of Toronto. Her dream is to appear on stage
at the Stratford Shakespeare Festival in Stratford,
Ontario one day.
Amanda believes that the MS Society Scholarship
Program presented an opportunity for her to be open
and honest about her experiences with MS. In
addition, the scholarship has helped ease the financial
pressures associated with university life, and winning
the scholarship reaffirmed how much she has changed
since her first MS attack. “If I’d never experienced not
being able to get out of bed, I probably wouldn’t
literally jump out of bed every morning no matter how
tired I am”, writes Amanda in an essay, The Comeback
Kid. In addition to being a scholarship recipient,
Amanda also took part in the MS Society of Canada’s
Summer Adventure Camp for youth with MS.
Being a part of this camp was a great experience for
Amanda. She describes the program, held at Easter
Seals’ Camp Merrywood in Ontario as “more fun than
I’ve had in a long time!” and says that not having to
worry about medication was “freeing”. One of the most
memorable parts about camp for Amanda were the “oh
yeah – I get that too” moments – the discovery of
shared experiences that allow campers to connect and
“communicate at a different level”.
On behalf of other young people affected by MS,
Amanda has expressed thanks to all those who have
played a role in supporting programs for youth at the
MS Society.
Children and teens affected by MS also participated in
camps in other parts of Canada this year including in
Val Morin, Quebec. Their experiences, like Amanda’s,
were valuable and unforgettable.
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