MY EXPERIENCE

Hi, I'm Ananda! I'm an oncology nurse
in Colorado. When I'm not at work, I enjoy exploring parks and trails, meditating, and cooking for my husband. I also love animals,
and have adopted a shelter cat and his brother cat too! I was diagnosed with relapsing MS in 2002 and started KESIMPTA in
2020 after trying multiple different treatment options.

My Diagnosis
I feel like my RMS diagnosis was partially a blessing in disguise. I know that might sound crazy, but I think it has helped me make good choices and focus on the blessings I have in my life. When I was diagnosed, I was just starting nursing school, and I had to decide if I wanted to continue school or drop out and treat myself as "delicate." Finishing nursing school was the best decision I could've made. My diagnosis has made me focus on living life for myself and prioritizing the things that make me happy.



Switching Treatments
I wanted to stop getting infusions since they didn't fit my lifestyle. I'm a cancer care nurse at a hospital, and because my infusions were done at the same hospital, I was often sitting right next to my own cancer patients in the infusion center. It was a bit awkward, and I'd end up spending many hours at the center past my shift time. Don't get me wrong, I love my job. But, taking KESIMPTA at home has resolved that, and I feel like I can now separate my RMS treatment from my work life.

The Sensoready® Pen
I like using the KESIMPTA Sensoready® Pen because it's user-friendly. It's cool that it's automatic because the two clicks help me know that I'm doing it right. For me as a nurse, needles are no big deal, but I know people who don't love them. I think the Sensoready® Pen is great for those people since you can't even see the needle while you're doing the injection.



Getting Support
For me, the best unexpected benefit of KESIMPTA is the Alongside™ KESIMPTA support program. As a nurse, I don't tend to feel confused or overwhelmed by starting a new treatment, but I have to say it feels good to have the support from my dedicated Coordinator in addition to my husband Kiefer, and other family and friends. My Coordinator is very proactive and keeps in touch to see how I'm doing. Plus, I love that KESIMPTA gets delivered right to my door each month, and I don't have to go to the pharmacy!

My Inspiration
I am inspired by my cancer patients and the people I've met in the RMS community. It takes a lot of positivity
and encouragement to treat chronic illness and take care of yourself. Discussing new treatments with your doctor can feel overwhelming, too.
I want to inspire other people with relapsing MS to talk to their doctors about treatment options and focus on their ability, not their disability.



Michelle considers herself a doer and a fixer, that's how she's taken on her RMS journey.

Michelle considers herself a doer and a fixer, that's how she's taken on her RMS journey.
Get the results of the head-to-head studies vs AUBAGIO® (teriflunomide).
SEE THE RESULTS
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