Siedah Garrett goes public with multiple sclerosis diagnosis

Singer/songwriter Siedah Garrett has been battling multiple sclerosis (MS) for more than five years.
The Grammy Award winner revealed her long battle with the disease, which affects the nerves, at the 24th Annual Race To Erase MS Gala charity event on Friday (05May17).
Siedah went public with her diagnosis before singing Man in the Mirror, the song she co-wrote for Michael Jackson, according to Billboard magazine.
After being introduced by legendary producer Quincy Jones, she said, “I am coming out tonight. Five years ago I was diagnosed with MS.”
The musician revealed more about her condition backstage, saying that before being diagnosed she had been suffering symptoms of the disease, which can include vision problems, dizziness, as well as speech and memory problems.
“I was devastated because I was past the time when you normally get, I was past the age group where MS shows up,” she explained. “But when I think about it, I’ve been having symptoms for a long time and didn’t really know.”
Actress Jamie-Lynn Sigler was honoured at the gala event for going public with her own battle with MS last year (16), and was presented with the Race to Erase MS organisation’s 2017 Medal of Hope Award by NSYNC member Lance Bass.
Jamie-Lynn’s celebrity pals Lea Michele, JoAnna Garcia Swisher and Emmanuelle Chriqui also offered video tributes before The Sopranos star gave an emotional speech detailing her own struggles with MS.
The charity bash raised $1.6 million (£1.2 million) for Race to Erase MS and its Center Without Walls medical research initiative.