A FATHER who was in denial about his MS diagnosis is on a mission to reassure others it is not the end.

John Mills was diagnosed with the condition in 2017. It stemmed from a strange sensation in his finger.

His condition got worse and, after receiving an official diagnosis of MS, he struggled to come to terms with it.

Two years later he has created a blog encouraging others with the condition to seek help and stay positive.

John, 32, from West Bergholt, said: “Me and my wife took our little girl to Center Parcs in June 2017 and it felt like I had been stung by a stinging nettle on my finger.

“We came home and the pain didn’t go away, if anything it spread to the rest of my fingers and my hand.

“I went to my GP in August as it was working its way up my arm.

“In September he referred me to a neurologist and after an MRI scan and lumbar puncture I was diagnosed with MS.”

In the same year as his diagnosis the insurance broker turned 30 and his daughter Eleanor, now two, was born.

He said: “I tried to ignore my diagnosis. I even went back to work full time the next day.

“I just tried to carry on as normal as I didn’t want the MS to define who I was.”

He was put on medication but experienced two relapses at work.

Due to the relapses he now only works part time.

He temporarily lost the use of his left hand but now his symptoms are more cognitive, such as poor memory and mental fatigue.

He says his days at home with wife, Sasha, and his daughter also have to be managed more effectively so he does not feel too tired.

He said: “I just tried to neglect it and I didn’t really accept it.

“I didn’t want people to refer to me as ‘John with MS’.

“It offsets the balance as I feel I am putting more pressure on my wife but it’s only over time you realise what can and can’t be done.”

Multiple sclerosis is a condition that can affect the brain and spinal cord.

It can cause problems with vision, arm or leg movement, sensation or balance.

MS is a lifelong condition that can, in some cases, cause serious disability.

Last year one of John’s wife’s friends mentioned a mindfulness course by charity MS-UK.

After taking the course John realised receiving a diagnosis does not have to be a negative experience and he has met some inspirational people on his journey.

He said: “The course was all about acceptance.

“It’s only when you open up and talk to people you realise there is so much help and support out there, but you need to be the one to take that first step.”

On the International Day of Disabled Persons, on December 3, he gave a speech at his workplace in London.

In the speech he said: “Going part time was one of the hardest decisions I had to make as I felt it would compromise my career progression.

“It’s only now that I appreciate this choice was for the better as it allows me to focus on my health.

“There is no cure for MS, however, I am in the process of going through disease modifying therapy.

“I’ve not been on any medication for the past year, which confirms how much a work/life balance has played in managing my MS.”

He set up a blog earlier this year, called MS, Myself and I, to inspire others to seek help.

To further raise awareness John will also be running the London Marathon next year in aid of MS-UK.

He said: “I train in the afternoons after work.

“I have always enjoyed running, probably even more so now because afterwards there is a sense of accomplishment, like you are beating MS.”

To donate visit www.justgiving.com/fundraising/john-mills-msmyselfandi.

To read John’s blog visit msmyselfandi.com.