Joe Vargetto is a Melbourne chef and owner of celebrated restaurant Mister Bianco which offers Southern Italian and Sicilian-inspired dishes, reflecting Joe’s heritage. A keen cyclist, Joe has epic stories to tell about his food career and restaurant journey and his 2015 MS diagnosis. On The Raw Nerve this week, host Jeremy Henderson, Head of Advocacy at MS Australia sits down with Joe in his restaurant in Kew, at the famed ‘Table 20’, to discuss cycling, working in a kitchen while living...

Sophie Drummond, MS Plus Senior Campaign Coordinator for The May 50K is a keen participant as is Dr Tennille Luker, Deputy Head of Research at MS Australia. On the Raw Nerve this week, host Rohan Greenland, CEO of MS Australia (another passionate May 50K participant) sits down with Tennille and Sophie, who lives with MS, to discuss how The May 50K works, exercise and MS and to hear about some of the exciting MS research projects that benefit directly from funds raised through The May...

Andrew Potter and Ebony Moffat share three things in common; an employer, a neurological condition, and a passion for raising awareness of multiple sclerosis and advocating for those living with MS. On the Raw Nerve this week we sit down with two members of the MS Australia Advocacy team to discuss their work, MS Australia’s commitment to embedding and leveraging lived experience meaningfully and effectively, working with a disability, and the lessons they have both learnt along the way.

Dr Heidi Beadnall is a New South Wales-based neurologist (brain specialist) and researcher with special interests in multiple sclerosis (MS), neuroimmunology and general neurology. At the Brain and Mind Centre, the University of Sydney, Dr Beadnall works as part of the Royal Prince Alfred Multiple Sclerosis Clinic. Almost seven years ago, Dr Beadnall first guided and supported broadcaster Phil O’Neil, newly diagnosed with MS, providing a tailored treatment and management plan and other...

Cassidy Krygger, is a young Australian actor, screenwriter and producer and the founder of viral Instagram account Hollywoodland Photos. Diagnosed with MS in 2018, Cassidy is determined to live a full life with her disability, but to also educate, support and inspire other young people newly diagnosed with MS. The Raw Nerve spoke to Cassidy, buoyed by the recent success of her short film Daisy. Written and produced by Cassidy who also stars in the film, Daisy has taken home Best...

Caro Llewellyn, author, advocate, and business executive, discusses her journey with multiple sclerosis (MS) in an interview on The Raw Nerve podcast. Llewellyn talks about her upbringing in a creative environment, her career in publishing and her love of books, and the challenges she faced after being diagnosed with MS in 2009. Lewellyn also discusses her father's experience with polio and how it influenced her own perspective on disability. She emphasises the importance of open and honest...

On this special episode of The Raw Nerve podcast, recorded at the 2023 Progress in MS Research Conference in Perth, we take a deep dive into PLATYPUS, Australia's groundbreaking adaptive clinical trial for progressive MS. Dr Julia Morahan, Head of Research at MS Australia, guides us through a captivating discussion with the brilliant minds steering PLATYPUS—Professor Jeremy Chataway of University College London, Chief Investigator of the UK's OCTOPUS trial, and Professor Simon Broadley from...

This National Carer’s Week (Sunday 15 to Saturday 21 October), we welcome Paul Koury and Briana Blackett – two passionate advocates for unpaid carers with first-hand but vastly different experience. As we found out in part one, Paul Koury lives with multiple sclerosis (MS) and after being a carer for his mother and navigating the aged care system, founded the Australian Carers Guide – a publication to help others navigate the carer journey. Paul balances the challenges of life with MS with...

This National Carer’s Week (Sunday 15 to Saturday 21 October), we welcome Paul Koury and Briana Blackett – two passionate advocates for unpaid carers with first-hand but vastly different experience. In this special two-part episode of the Raw Nerve, host Phil O’Neil chats with Paul and Briana and finds out about the carer role and the importance of caring for the carers. Paul Koury lives with multiple sclerosis (MS) and after being a carer for his mother and navigating the aged care system,...

In this episode of "The Raw Nerve," CEO of MS Australia, Rohan Greenland and the Head of Research, Dr. Julia Morahan, discuss the upcoming Progress in MS Research conference, highlighting key themes, international and Australian speakers, and showcase groundbreaking research in areas such as health behaviour, myelin repair, and neuroimmunology. This episode emphasises the conference's unique format, which includes opportunities for the MS community to actively participate. The title...

Diagnosed 13 years ago with MS, Justine Martin was told by her neurologist that she wouldn’t work again. Undeterred Justine has found purpose in helping other people through telling her story and giving them hope. Along the way Justine has earned recognition and many awards, as an accomplished speaker, life coach, artist, author, publisher, teacher, and entrepreneur. Now she’s combined all of those passions and skills to shed light on the resilience of other Australians, with her latest...

In August 2018 Cate Green experienced a painful back spasm while at a spa in Daylesford. By the following month Cate had been diagnosed with MS.  A particularly severe relapse that same month left Cate temporarily paralysed from the neck down. “So I lost both arms, legs bowel and bladder, and that put life in perspective for me.” Today five, years on Cate is about to embark on her biggest challenge, tackling El Camino, a bike ride of over 700 kilometres which will see Cate cross the border...

Join host Phil O'Neil in an extraordinary conversation on the 15th episode of Raw Nerve Podcast, where two remarkable Australians, Bronwyn Saunders and Chris Morgan, share their inspiring journeys with multiple sclerosis (MS). Despite facing unexpected MS diagnoses, both Bronwyn and Chris have defied the odds and accomplished incredible feats.  Bronwyn Saunders, a children's author, opens up about her own MS diagnosis two decades ago and how she has not only thrived but also achieved her...

On the 14th episode of The Raw Nerve podcast, co-host Phil O'Neil engages in a compelling conversation with the President of MS Australia, Associate Professor Des Graham, alongside MS advocates Kelly Englehardt and Sonia Marcon, exploring their lived experiences with the National Disability Insurance Scheme (NDIS). With the NDIS Review ongoing and the call for the NDIS to better address the needs of people living with MS, we hear from the voices that matter the most—the very people the...

On the 13th episode of the Raw Nerve Podcast, co-host Phil O’Neil talks with MSWA Chair and MS Australia Board Director, Horst Bemmerl about his life with multiple sclerosis (MS) and his incredible journey, from diagnosis, and its inevitable challenges, to positivity and living a life devoted to educating, raising awareness and helping others with the disease.  Phil and Horst discuss their respective MS diagnosis journeys and find a mutual connection as Horst shares tales about some of his...

On the 12th episode of the Raw Nerve Podcast, guest host Jeremy Henderson, MS Australia’s Head of Advocacy, had the privilege of speaking with three dedicated MS Nurses about the invaluable work they do and the remarkable connection they form with their patients. In the lead up to World MS Day, Jeremy speaks candidly with Belinda Bardsley, Tim O’Maley and Emma Christian about the role of an MS Nurse, the remarkable holistic care provided to people living with MS, together with the ongoing...

On the 11th episode of the Raw Nerve Podcast, co-host Rohan Greenland talks with three people heavily involved in the development of a new MS Australia video resource developed to help the community gain a better understanding of multiple sclerosis. Rohan is joined by Couch Creative creative director Mike Sarah, and two of Rohan’s MS Australia colleagues who contributed clinical and lived-experience expertise to the project; Dr Therese Burke, an MS Nurse and former president of MS Nurses...

On the 10th episode of the Raw Nerve Podcast, friend of the show, Tim Coetzee, Chief Advocacy, Services and Science Officer at the National MS Society takes the reins, coming to us from New York, where the Pathways to Cures Global Summit wrapped last week. The summit brought together 189 leaders from the global MS movement, representing 15 countries and 20 organizations that endorse the Pathways to Cures roadmap, to focus on how we can find solutions to MS. Tim sat down with two members of...

On the 9th episode of the Raw Nerve Podcast Phil O’Neil chats with Felicity Perdue from Hobart about her preparations for the May 50K, and her very personal motivation to raise money for MS Research. The May 50K is now underway and Felicity, who was diagnosed with MS in 2019 is taking part for herself, for her late mother and for all those living with MS. Felicity sits down with Phil to talk about her family’s MS journey, what makes her thankful, and how she’s navigated her MS. Related...

On the eighth episode of the Raw Nerve Podcast, co-host Rohan Greenland laces up his runners ahead of the May 50k and discusses the inspirational lengths that Aussies will go to, to raise vital funding for MS Research. He’s joined by Samantha Billington from Darwin. Living with MS, Samantha has led an extraordinary May 50K fundraising effort over the last two years. In 2022, with the support of Darwin radio station Hot 100 she and radio personality Brent Watkinson put their May 50K challenge...

On the seventh episode of the Raw Nerve, co-host Rohan Greenland chats to Dr Tim Coetzee, the Chief Advocacy Services and Science Officer for the National MS Society and MS Australia Head of Research Dr Julia Morahan ahead of an important international summit to be held in New York in early May. To accelerate MS cures, the National MS Society is convening scientific, medical and public health leaders to contribute to the most promising pathways to cures and to cultivate global collaboration...

On the sixth episode of the Raw Nerve, co-host Phil O’Neil catches up with MS advocate a para-cycling world champion Emily Petricola about her inspirational MS journey, her international cycling success and how the two are inextricably linked. Emily was diagnosed with MS in 2007 at 27 years of age. She talks openly about her treatment, her newfound perspective and the competitive cycling road and goals still ahead. “Until the day comes where I don't feel that same passion or drive and...

On the fifth episode of the Raw Nerve, co-host Rohan Greenland is joined by MS Australia President, Associate Professor Des Graham to explore a new report commissioned by MS Australia and undertaken by the Menzies Institute for Medical Research at the University of Tasmania, which has found the number of Australians living with multiple sclerosis (MS) is increasing at a significant and accelerating rate. To help unpack the findings, report authors Principal Research Fellow at the Menzies...

On this, the fourth episode of the Raw Nerve, co-host Phil O’Neil speaks with Art Alexakis, lead singer of American Rock band Everclear, currently touring Australia. Everclear was formed by Art in Portland Oregon in 1991. The band’s first three albums went platinum and the band has sold over 6 million records. Beyond knowing each other off and on for over 30 years, and their involvement in the music industry, Phil and Art share an even bigger connection, having both been diagnosed with MS in...