‘I’m Proud To Be A Disabled Athlete’ Student Powerlifter On MS Diagnosis
Fuelling a passion for fitness in young people is one of our main goals at Myprotein. Many of our best-loved ambassadors are students; we love amplifying their stories and inspiring a new generation to follow in their footsteps.
Our student ambassador programme, NXTGEN, was set up for this purpose and has been an incredible success, supporting the journeys of talented student gym-goers of diverse backgrounds.
One of those students is Nicole Latham, a 21-year-old University of Leeds law student. When she’s not studying for her degree, Nicole competes in powerlifting competitions. She’s also mastering her black belt in karate. Yep, black belt.
On top of uni, gym and martial arts, she’s also in and out of the doctor’s office. Nicole has also experienced physical symptoms of neurological disorder for three years now and received a diagnosis for multiple sclerosis (MS) a year ago. Despite the obvious challenge, she doesn’t let it get in her way. And her goal is to show other young people with disabilities they can live their lives and still enjoy an active lifestyle.
In spirit of Multiple Sclerosis Awareness Week, Nicole has been answering questions on her Instagram page, speaking candidly about her diagnosis and how she balances her love of sport, uni work and a social life while having MS. Here’s what she had to say.
'Alarm bells didn’t ring. I thought I was just stressed’
Nicole’s first attack happened while revising for her A-Levels, a hugely stressful time for many students. And at the time, that’s all she thought it was: stress. But it turned out to be vertigo and likely her first MS attack.
‘I finally realised something wasn’t right’
Nicole carried on preparing for her exams. She sat them with one eye closed to accommodate her vision that was still damaged from her vertigo experience. This is when she decided to act and head back to the doctors.
‘I had an intense tremor in my hand for two months’
After this initial attack and her CIS diagnosis, Nicole didn’t experience another for a few years. But in August 2021, she had another.
‘I want others to be diagnosed quickly’
Today, Nicole uses her page not only to spread awareness of MS, encouraging people not to ignore symptoms, as she did initially, but also to show people you can live a full, fulfilling life with MS. She wants to show the highs as much as the lows.
Nicole has taken her diagnosis in her stride and is now smashing it in the powerlifting world as a young, disabled athlete. And she is proud to be doing it.
Take home message
When Nicole was diagnosed, she only ever saw representations in media of the struggles and challenges MS brings, rather than all the things it’s still possible to experience and achieve with MS.
Follow Nicole’s page for killer workouts, powerlifting tips, and advice on thriving in life with MS. And keep an eye on our blog for an exclusive interview with Nicole coming soon…
