Focusing on Healing
- Longtime “Fox and Friends” meteorologist Janice Dean, 55, says she is taking a break from work to focus on her health after managing multiple sclerosis (MS) for 20 years.
- Dean, diagnosed in 2005, has been open about living with MS—a chronic neurological disease that can cause fatigue, numbness, and mobility challenges, often invisible to others.
- The National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke explains, “Multiple sclerosis (MS) can range from relatively benign to somewhat disabling to devastating, as communication between the brain and other parts of the body is disrupted.” In fact, symptoms can disappear completely or return. One consistent tell-tale symptom is pain, which can be intense during an attack, when the nerves become inflamed.
- Although MS does not have a cure, common tools such as wheelchairs, canes, leg braces, and some medical treatments called disease-modifying therapies (DMTs) may improve the quality of life for people living with the disease.
- A study in American Family Physician found that DMTs “have been shown to slow disease progression and disability; options include injectable agents, infusions, and oral medications targeting different sites in the inflammatory pathway.”
“I’m ok, but I’ve had some health issues that require rest and time to heal. My bosses at Fox have been kind and understanding, and I feel blessed to be able to take a break to be with my family,” Dean said in an Instagram post.
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Dean plans to enjoy a getaway with her family in Italy to begin her healing process. She has not indicated when she plans to return to her regular hosting duties on her Fox News show.
Dean prides herself on being honest with her supporters. She previously stated that she has lived with the chronic disease since 2005. It is a disease of the brain and central nervous system that causes numbness or weakness in the limbs, fatigue, lack of coordination, blurry vision, and unsteady gait.
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“I’ve been open and honest about my diagnosis, the therapies I’ve been on, and the challenges that have been presented to me and my family for almost two decades,” Dean previously stated in an X social media post.
Dean joined Fox News a year before her diagnosis. She’s often seen interacting with fans during live weather reports. However, the impact of multiple sclerosis still weighs heavily.
“I’m smiling on Fox and Friends, but inside, it can be quite a challenge,” Dean said.
“MS really doesn’t present itself in a lot of ways. I call it the invisible illness…We can be looking fine – I got my hair and makeup done – but inside of us, our bodies are attacking the central nervous system between the brain and the spine. There’s a communication breakdown between the message sent from the brain to the rest of the body,” she continued.
We hope Dean is able to find the healing she’s seeking and come back more rejuvenated.
Helping Multiple Sclerosis Patients with Resources
Living with Incurable Multiple Sclerosis
Multiple sclerosis causes the immune system to attack cells that form the protective sheath that covers nerve fibers in the spinal cord. The disruption leads to communication problems between the brain and the rest of the body.
Once the protective barrier is damaged, the spinal cord struggles to communicate with the body’s arms, legs, and other parts to function normally.
WATCH: SurvivorNetTV Presents: Defying All Odds – A World-Renowned Doctor’s Incredible Journey Through MS
There is no cure for M.S., but M.S. warriors battling the disease do have methods to manage their symptoms.
Common tools M.S. patients use to improve their quality of life include wheelchairs, canes, leg braces, and some medical treatments called disease-modifying therapies (DMTs).
A study in American Family Physician found that DMTs “have been shown to slow disease progression and disability; options include injectable agents, infusions, and oral medications targeting different sites in the inflammatory pathway.”
Research published in Frontiers in Neurology last year says autologous hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (AHSCT) (also called bone marrow transplantation, with autologous meaning a patient’s own cells) used for multiple sclerosis therapy helps “reset the immune system.” Several studies and clinical trials using AHSCT have shown promise.
“In a meta-analysis of published studies using AHSCT for M.S. treatment, the pooled estimated transplant-related mortality was 2.1%, the two-year disease progression rate was 17.1%, the five-year progression rate of 23.3%, and a pooled 83% of patients had no evidence of disease activity at two years. Patients who had the most benefit and the least mortality rate were patients with relapsing-remitting M.S. (RRMS).”
Additional research published by NEJM Journal Watch says that AHSCT helps MS patients reduce relapses better than other forms of MS treatment.
The National Multiple Sclerosis Society outlines the different types of multiple sclerosis:
- Clinically isolated syndrome (CIS) is when an individual experiences a single neurological episode lasting 24 hours or less. CIS is what M.S. is diagnosed as until there is a second episode.
- Relapsing-remitting MS (RRMS): The most common M.S. among the million people battling the disease in the U.S., RRMS is marked by sudden flare-ups, new symptoms, or worsening of symptoms and cognitive function. The condition will then go into remission for some time before reemerging with no known warning signs.
- Primary progressive M.S. (PPMS): These individuals have no flare-ups or remission, just a steady decline with progressively worse symptoms and an increasing loss of cognitive and body functions.
- Secondary progressive M.S. (SPMS): This is an almost transitional form of M.S. that progresses from RRMS to PPMS.
Questions for Your Doctor
If you are diagnosed with multiple sclerosis or are concerned you have the chronic disease due to symptoms you’re experiencing, consider asking your doctor the following questions.
- Although there’s no cure for MS, which treatment option to manage my symptoms do you recommend for me?
- Are there any potential side effects of MS treatment?
- What if the treatment to manage symptoms doesn’t work?
- Will exercise or therapy help my symptoms?
- Are there any MS support groups you recommend to help me cope?
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