BELMONT COUNTY, OHIO – The Belmont County Commissioners adopted a resolution earlier this week declaring March as Multiple Sclerosis Awareness Month to highlight the importance of supporting those affected by the neurological disease.
During the meeting, a visitor from Carroll County, Edward Hale, a multiple sclerosis advocate who has the condition, took the floor. Hale, who was diagnosed with multiple sclerosis in 2006 and shared his personal journey and the challenges of living with the disease.
“Multiple sclerosis affects people in many different ways,” Hale explained. “From vision problems and headaches to numbness and burning sensations in the extremities, no two experiences are exactly alike.”
He detailed his own struggles with symptoms and the lack of a cure, noting that while medications help manage side effects, the disease continues to impact lives significantly.
Hale also recalled that in March 2006, Ohio became the first state in the U.S. to officially designate an entire month to raise awareness about multiple sclerosis, rather than limiting recognition to a single week. This proclamation, initially signed under Governor Bob Taft, has since become a cornerstone for community advocacy and support.
Commissioners spoke with Hale about the causes and manifestations of the disease. While the exact cause of multiple sclerosis remains unknown, Hale emphasized the importance of research and shared observations about possible environmental factors, including historical links to industrial practices and mining in the Ohio Valley and counties along the Ohio River.
