Multiple sclerosis is BS: 'butt sitting, beaten soon, blind siding, big suckfest, beyond scary, body shaking, bourbon soothed'. “MS is BS” is the slogan for a line of t-shirts and other merchandise created by Ed Johnson, whose sole intention is to find humor and self-expression within a very bleak space.
Diagnosed in 2006 with Progressive MS, Ed went from being an active volleyball coach for over 20 years to living life in a wheelchair –in less than 12 months. While the disease took away his livelihood and ability to walk, he didn’t lose his sense of humor. It is his unabashed wit that inspired the “MS is BS” campaign.
Ed chose “MS is BS” because “I had seen it before but I just wanted to change it around. I think that it’s a catchy phrase. I have been saying ‘MS is BS’ for years and then I just kind of expanded on it.”
Most people diagnosed with MS experience feelings of anger, frustration, fear and pity. The “MS is BS” products allow anyone affected by MS a form of cathartic release. They also turn negative feelings about the disease into something positive: money to support MS research. 100% of all profits from merchandise go to the research arm of the Swedish Multiple Sclerosis Center.
Ed believes the Swedish MS Center is on the front lines of research that will hopefully lead to a cure for the disease. “I think Jim Bowen is one of the top MS doctors in the country and whatever he does he researches before he decides to support it. He will research it before he puts his neck on the line.”
When talking about the Swedish MS Center, Ed also commented, “I also like the exercise room, I just like the way the whole center is designed, and it’s accessible for people like us in wheelchairs. There was a lot of thought put into the Center.”
On the website, shoppers can place the “MS is BS” design on a wide variety of apparel styles and colors. Products are printed and shipped within 2 weeks. All of the profits from merchandise sales go to the research arm of the Swedish MS Center at Cherry Hill in Seattle. For more information, visit www.mstshirts.org.
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