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Life with MS: My inspiration

A woman with red hair and blue eyes smiles warmly, showcasing her unique features.

French visual artist, Dorothy Shoes, talks about her life and how MS inspires her work.

Each year, in May, the MS community comes together to celebrate World MS Day through events and activities taking place throughout the month. It’s a time for people around the world to share stories, raise awareness and campaign with and for everyone affected by multiple sclerosis.

In line with this year’s theme – Life with MS – we’re featuring the work of visual artist, Dorothy Shoes, who not only lives with MS each day, but who uses it to inspire her work.

A woman sitting on a chair with her legs crossed, looking relaxed and engaged in her surroundings.

ColèresS Planquées (meaning hidden angers) is the anagram of "sclérose en plaques," which is the French word for multiple sclerosis. To live with MS it’s like you lose a part of your identity, a part of your thoughts, a part of the things you know. When I was diagnosed with MS, I felt that I couldn't do anything.

A person’s fingers covered with numerous ants, showcasing a close-up view of the insects crawling on their skin.

With MS you can feel like insects are inside your body running, every minute, hour, days, weeks, months or more. Most people with MS have this – a feeling like that of pins and needles.

A woman leaps on a vibrant rug situated on a rustic brick floor.

A lot people with MS have the feeling that there is cotton below their feet and it's sticky. It’s not painful, but more annoying, you can’t just take it off – it’s a really sensitive feeling.

A woman with a head full of colorful tentacles, creating a surreal and imaginative appearance.

My brain can’t do many things at the same time anymore. This disease takes so much space inside your life and inside your head. MS is always inside, it’s like a monster, a sticky monster inside your head.

A woman without clothing stands next to a plain wall, her expression calm and serene.

This picture with the girl naked painted like the wall is to express the fact that even if you don’t see the disease it really exists.

A woman with a sparkler creatively placed in her hair, smiling and enjoying a festive atmosphere.

I want to put some light where it's dark.

Life with MS: My inspiration

Roche supports the MS International Federation (MSIF)in bringing the world together to improve the quality of life of everybody affected by MS.

If you’re living with MS, take part in World MS Day by sharing what life with MS means to you.

Share your photos / stories on social media and don’t forget to use the hashtag #LifewithMS".