Three women standing together indoors in front of a decorative backdrop with the words 'MS Dream' written in orange. They are smiling and dressed in colorful dresses, with flowers and decorative dried plants around them.

A woman with a walker smiling on a busy city street, with tall buildings and digital billboards.

A woman is lying on a pinkish couch in a modern indoor space, holding a cellphone in her hand. She appears to be resting or lost in thought, with a neutral expression. The background features large potted plants and furniture.

Smiling woman taking selfie at an outdoor event with tents and many people in the background.

Woman smiling and enjoying herself in an infinity pool with a tropical landscape of palm trees, ocean, and mountains in the background under a clear blue sky.

A woman standing indoors, smiling, making a peace sign with her right hand, with a walker in front of her, wearing a light gray dress and carrying a black purse

Two smiling people wearing Disney-themed hats and sunglasses, posing for a selfie at a theme park with the Epcot ball in the background.

A woman wearing a green race shirt, pink tutu, and medal, smiling and holding water at a marathon event with other participants in the background.

A healthcare professional performing an ultrasound or medical examination on a seated woman in a clinical setting.

A woman with black wavy hair smiling, wearing a colorful pink jacket with cartoon and food print, adorned with layered necklaces, sitting in front of a window with curtains and greenery outside.

Four people lying on striped lounge chairs outdoors, wearing beige robes and white towels on their heads, smiling and wearing sunglasses, in a garden with green grass and leafy plants in front of a brick house.

A woman wearing a blue surgical mask and a brown wig is sitting on a hospital or clinic-like chair, covered with a white blanket, with her hand on her forehead, appearing to be distressed or tired.

A woman with long braided hair smiling at a dinner party outdoors, with a table decorated with flowers and candles, and other guests in the background.

Group of eight women standing in front of a large illuminated sign that spells 'END' and 'LIFE', with tall buildings in the background.

A young woman with long, wavy blonde hair riding a light blue electric scooter on a traditional Japanese street. She is smiling and wearing a colorful, patterned outfit. The street has traditional wooden buildings and stone pavement under bright sunl

A woman lying in a hospital bed having her blood drawn by a healthcare professional using a green laser for vein visualization, with medical equipment in the background.

Smiling woman with long wavy hair holding a sign that says ’I am not my MS,’ wearing jewelry and a sleeveless top, standing in front of a plain white wall.

A woman smiling and waving in a medical gown, taking a selfie in a room with medical equipment on a desk.

Marti’s MS Life

Chronic illness changed my life, but it didn’t take it.

When people hear “MS,” they often picture fatigue or numbness. What they don’t see is everything else.

The pain that stabs like lightning through my face, what I now know is trigeminal neuralgia, one of the most painful neurological conditions known.

The brain surgery I underwent just to get relief.
The flares that steal movement, focus, and peace without warning.
The medications that keep my nervous system in check, and the endless side effects they bring.

The behind-the-scenes grind: paperwork, authorizations, denials, appointments, scheduling, rescheduling. It’s a second full-time job.

And yet, I rise. Not out of ease, but out of faith, fight, and community. Because I know someone else needs to see what survival and success can look like side-by-side.

A healthcare professional in blue scrubs, wearing a mask and glasses, is preparing check on Marti Hine's progress in her ongoing battle with Multiple Sclerosis, who is seated on a medical examination table, in a clinical setting.

The Day-to-Day Truth

Some days I move with ease. Other days, I need help. There are flares. There’s brain fog. There’s physical pain and emotional fatigue.

And yet, I speak. I lead. I plan. I dance. I make space for both the grace and the grief.

Some days I move with ease. Other days, I need help. There are flares. There’s brain fog. There’s physical pain and emotional fatigue.

And yet, I speak. I lead. I plan. I dance. I make space for both the grace and the grief.

Marti with dark hair wearing a white blouse and black pants, using a walker, stands on a busy city street in front of large digital billboards. Other pedestrians walk by in the background.

Why I Started Marti’s MS Life

In 2019, I went public with my diagnosis and launched Marti’s MS Life, a space to speak freely about the reality of living with this disease as a Black woman.

I was done pretending. Done masking. I needed a space to be honest, and to help others feel seen in a world that often looks away.

Since then, this platform has become a community, a resource, and a space of solidarity for MS warriors, caregivers, allies, and those just beginning to ask, “What now?”

My Advocacy in Action

My work has opened doors I never imagined, but not for me alone. For us.

I now sit on the Board of Directors for the National MS Society’s Los Angeles chapter.
I partner with Genentech and other companies to help shift how chronic illness is represented.
I’ve appeared in national campaigns, including the National MS Society’s 2022 domestic campaign, which premiered in Times Square.
I co-host the annual MS Brunch Fundraiser alongside my friend Chelsea Hettrick, raising money and momentum for warriors like us.

And every year, I organize a team for the MS Walk at the Rose Bowl, showing up with energy, love, and a reminder that we are still here, still walking.

Everyday Advocacy, Online

For a lot of people, social media is a highlight reel. For me, it’s a lifeline.

Marti’s MS Life lives loudest online, across Instagram, TikTok, YouTube, and Substack, where I share the real, daily rhythms of life with MS. Not just the wins, but the mess. The meds. The flares. The small victories. The faith and the frustration.

It’s where I document what this disease actually feels like in a Black woman’s body, and where I speak up for those still finding their voice.

What You’ll see:

Behind-the-scenes looks at treatment days
What it’s like to advocate for care in broken systems
Unfiltered moments of pain, healing, joy, and everything in between

Reflections, resources, and real talk through my Substack newsletter

Humor, education, and awareness through storytelling on Instagram