Instagram | @selmablair

Selma Blair Shares Instagram Photo Of 'Incredibly Precious' MS Brain Scan

Updated September 6, 2021

By this point, many of us have witnessed some inspirational stories of people dealing with and overcoming what are normally debilitating conditions.

In some cases, the wheels of fortune have turned in such a way that these stories hit us at home either because we've personally been through some difficult chapters or seen loved ones go through them.

But what the movies don't often show is that the challenges of those experiences can give way to moments that allow us to gain an unexpected new perspective on our conditions.

As Selma Blair has recently shown, these moments can foster a new appreciation for the very parts of us that go through them.

In October of last year, Blair revealed that she had been diagnosed with multiple sclerosis.

Instagram | @selmablair

According to the National Multiple Sclerosis Society, the symptoms of this condition vary unpredictably from person to person.

Still, the most common ones include vision problems, difficulty walking, muscle spasms, numbness, chronic fatigue, and issues with bladder and bowel control.

Since her diagnosis, Blair has worked to make MS more culturally visible.

Instagram | @selmablair

As Women's Health reported, a high-profile example of this involved her appearance with her cane at the Vanity Fair Oscars party, but she also often shares her experiences via social media.

One of these posts saw her revealing her brain as imaged in a recent MRI scan.

Instagram | @selmablair

The mood of this post was clearly expressed by her use of the hashtag "#beautifultrauma" in that while her experiences with MS are certainly difficult, they made for a captivating image.

It doesn't hurt that her brain image reminded her of one of nature's most majestic creatures.

Reddit | almostlucid

As Blair wrote in her post, "What part of the brain looks like an incredibly precious face of a cheetah?"

But of course, that resemblance isn't the only thing that jumps out about the image.

She also called attention to the glowing areas of the scan, which resembled Christmas lights.

Instagram | @selmablair

These indicated where the active lesions in her brain are, which compelled her to write, "The glowing bits are part of the stuff that makes me feel so different."

Blair also said that she loves seeing images of her brain and wants to see everything she can.

Reddit | Fizzbit

According to the National Multiple Sclerosis Society, MRI scans after diagnosis are valuable to tracking how the disease is progressing — as well as the effectiveness of treatments — so this enthusiasm towards seeing her brain can only help her.

Blair also noted that March is MS awareness month, which is certainly a key time for her mission to make MS more visible.

Instagram | @selmablair

As Women's Health reported, over 2.3 million people are affected by MS around the world, with most of these patients being women.

Although its symptoms and challenges often go unseen, efforts during this month and particularly on March 30, which is World MS Day, seek to change that.

Filed Under: