When Derek Stefureac was diagnosed multiple sclerosisa chronic disease that affects the central nervous system, was a smoker who never exercised.
Everything changed when, at age 39, he suffered a “seizure” at work: His body hung for about a minute, and Stefureac told CBS News he “thought he was dying.” After visiting several doctors, the diagnosis was made multiple sclerosis.
“It was a pretty scary diagnosis, and I wasn’t even sure what it was, to be honest. everyone who had it” said Stefureac, now 51. “When I found out more, a doctor said, ‘It’s a progressive disease, it’s incurable.’ We have a number of therapies to slow the progression, but the best thing you can do is get healthy. A healthy body is the best tool.’ So that scared me enough to quit smoking, and as part of quitting smoking, to help me and get healthy, I just started jogging.”
Now, 13 years after his diagnosis and those first jogging sessions, Stefureac has run 36 marathons – including one in Antarctica and one on Mount Everest. After completing Australia’s Brisbane Marathon earlier in June, he is now running a marathon on every continent. He has built a community of runners, connected to others with his condition, and his doctor says he has even managed to reverse the progression of his disease. multiple sclerosis.
Derek Stefureac/Cleveland Clinic
What is multiple sclerosis?
Multiple sclerosis is a disease that affects the central nervous system, according to the Mayo Clinic website. The immune system attacks the myelin, or protective sheath, that covers the nerve fibers. That causes communication problems between the brain and the rest of the body, causing a wide range of symptoms, including numbness and weakness in the body, an unsteady gait, blurred vision and more. Ultimately, it can cause permanent damage or deterioration of the nerve fibers.
Multiple sclerosis is “an unpredictable disease,” says Dr. Bruce Bebo, executive vice president of research at the National MS Society, who is not involved in Stefureac’s care.
For Stefureac, who is also taking medication to manage his condition, the disease manifested itself most noticeably as a dragging foot that he noticed when he started jogging. Dr. Le Hua, a neurologist overseeing Stefureac’s treatment, said he also had neurological dysfunction and some numbness, weakness and tingling in his body. He also had spinal lesions, which are “associated with a higher risk of disability” from multiple sclerosis, she said.
How does exercise affect multiple sclerosis?
Bebo said a growing body of evidence supports the importance of exercise and other healthy lifestyle choices in treatment multiple sclerosis. Even if exercise does not reverse the progression of the disease, it can help limit comorbidities such as high blood pressure, which can accelerate the progression of multiple sclerosis. Exercise can also help promote plasticity of the nervous system, which can improve function and offset the damage caused by multiple sclerosis, he said.
Cardiovascular exercise such as running can be especially helpful in managing multiple sclerosis, Bebo said, but a person doesn’t necessarily have to run marathons to see the benefits.
“There’s pretty much something for everyone, regardless of their skill level or disability,” Bebo said.
Hua said Stefureac’s case is “truly unique” because he has actually seen signs of “improvement in his disability”, with some of the problems he initially faced improving. Many people can see signs that disability is slowing, she said, but an actual improvement in disease progression is not something she or others in her field often see.
“Derek looks much better now than when he was first diagnosed in terms of disability,” Hua said.
Stefureac told CBS News that he “can’t even remember” the last time he dealt with a symptom of multiple sclerosis.
“I only think about MS when I need to refill my prescription or make an appointment,” he said.
Derek Stefureac/Cleveland Clinic
What’s the next step after running a marathon on every continent?
Stefureac has achieved his goal of running a marathon on every continent, but there are even more extreme events he wants to compete in. He is considering a marathon at the North Pole, and will run one on Kilimanjaro in Tanzania in February 2025. He also wants to participate in more intense events such as a five-day race across the Sahara and an Ironman Triathalon in Hawaii.
“When I started, the goal was to get myself in shape and slow this progression, and it has worked so amazingly,” said Stefureac, adding that he hopes his story can serve as an inspiration to other people living with multiple sclerosis dealing. or chronic health problems.
“It sounds crazy, but for me, I’m grateful for the diagnosis. It was really an eye-opener and it changed my life. I don’t think I would be doing seven continents if I had never been diagnosed with MS,” said Stefureac . “No one could ever know I have MS. People are shocked when I tell them. I would like to be a good example of, ‘This could be you.’”
