Jack Osbourne diagnosed with MS
Reality TV star Jack Osbourne has been diagnosed with multiple sclerosis.
The 26-year-old discovered he had the disease after losing 60 per cent of vision in his right eye.
And speaking to Hello! magazine, he told of his shock at the diagnosis but said he is refusing to let it get him down.
Jack, who recently became a father for the first time said at first he went through all different emotions when he was waiting for the diagnosis.
He said: ‘While I was waiting for the final results, I got really, really angry.
‘The timing was so bad. I’d just had a baby, work was going great – I kept thinking, “Why now?”
‘Then I got really sad for about two days, and after that I realised, being angry and upset is not going to do anything at this point – if anything it’s only going to make it worse.
‘Adapt and overcome’ is my new motto.’
He said his fiancé Lisa – who gave birth to their daughter Pearl two months ago – has been very positive and supportive.
Multiple sclerosis affects the brain and the nervous system and destroys layers between the nerves in the brain and spinal cord which stops impulses being carried around the body.
It can result in blindness, slurred speech, muscle weakness and a loss of coordination.
And Jack’s parents Sharon and Ozzy said they were still struggling to come to terms with the diagnosis, with Sharon even blaming herself.
She said: ‘I keep thinking, “what did I do wrong? What did I eat or drink when I was pregnant?” I feel like it’s somehow my fault.
Ozzy added: ‘If it was me, you’d think: “Ozzy had a reputation and it caught up with him,” but Jack is such a good guy.’
Sister Kelly took to her Twitter page this morning to urge fans to support her sibling, writing: ‘Please support my brother @mrjacko in not only his bravery but honesty! i love you so much jack & I’m so proud of you!’
And following the news of his diagnosis being made public, Jack tweeted: ‘Thank you all so much for the kind and inspirational words. It means a lot. #adaptandovercome.’
Jack was thrust into the public eye in 2002 when he and his family were followed by film crews for the MTV reality show The Osbournes.
With the family in the public consciousness, he also went through a very public battle with drugs and alcohol.
WHAT IS MULTIPLE SCLEROSIS?
Multiple sclerosis is a disease of the central nervous system.
MS affects the brain and the nervous system and destroys myelin sheath layers between the nerves in the brain and spinal cord which stops impulses being carried around the body.
It can cause blindness, slurred speech, muscle weakness and a loss of coordination.
There is no known cause or cure for MS, which is three times more common in men than in women.
Between two and five per cent of cases are discovered in children under 16.
