Wilmington's Walk MS in April, former UNCW athlete and twin sister share personal connection

For 24 years, Sally Lindroos and her twin sister Laura Holt shared everything. But when Holt was diagnosed with multiple sclerosis (MS) as a young adult, Lindroos said she remembers that drastically changed.

"I was devastated," Lindroos said. "I was obviously very worried about the prognosis and what it was going to look like for the rest of her life. It was something...as her twin sister...that for the first time in my life I couldn't relate to her on. I couldn't share this experience with her."

Holt's symptoms initially manifested in her early twenties as tingling sensations in her limbs, episodes of vision blackout, and urinary problems, Lindroos said. Over time, it became more difficult for Holt to walk and complete daily tasks, such as dressing herself.

Lindroos said her sister struggles with the frustrations of her diagnosis, especially considering her previously active lifestyle as a University of North Carolina Wilmington (UNCW) soccer player.

"I just kind of realized...this is going to be her journey, and I can only use my skill sets in my position to hopefully better her life and her experience with it," Lindroos said.

Drawing on her expertise as an event planner at Kickstand Events in Wilmington, Lindroos also works as part of the Walk MS Wilmington Community Council. She helps coordinate and orchestrate events, all aimed at raising both funds and awareness for MS locally.

Lindroos said she uses her strengths in "rallying...troops together." She has worked as captain of the Shupe Troop, a fundraising team that incorporates her twin sisters' maiden name, which is dedicated to Holt and other MS "fighters."

This year, Lindroos looks forward to promoting the Walk MS event that will occur at Long Leaf Park in Wilmington on April 27. Participants will meet at shelter 5 at 8:30 a.m., with an expected start time for the walk around 9:30 a.m. More details for the event can be found on the Walk MS webpage.

When asked what Lindroos hopes the Walk MS event will bring to Wilmington, she said she wants participants to discover a sense of community and belonging here within their own city.

"I hope that...people feel like they have a support system in Wilmington, they have care here, they have people walking alongside them who are dealing with the same things," Lindroos said, noting that people living with MS in Wilmington have previously flocked to Raleigh to find care.

As for Holt, she is currently married with three children. She receives infusions twice a year for her relapsing-remitting multiple sclerosis (RRMS), a treatment regimen that Lindroos emphasized has been greatly beneficial for her sister.

Holt battles the daily challenges of limited mobility stemming from her MS diagnosis, compounded by feelings of frustration of passing judgements, Lindroos said. She recalled an incident at a local store where a man made a remark about her sister not appearing handicapped while she parked in a designated handicap space.

"Having empathy for anyone in any kind of situation, MS or not, is just...what Laura's kind of big takeaway has been throughout her diagnosis...and journey," Lindroos said. "MS transcends...age and demographics."

The twins celebrated their 34th birthday in February this year. Lindroos said she has faith that one day a cure for MS will be discovered.

"I find the most hope in the fact that there has been over a billion dollars raised for efforts towards this," Lindroos said. "I just really feel strongly that a cure is in the future."

This article originally appeared on Wilmington StarNews: Wilmington's Walk MS holds special meaning for these twin sisters