MS Sufferers

Lola Falana may believe that her faith in God “cured” her multiple sclerosis (MS), but she has no right to imply that the rest of us with this disease are her spiritual inferiors because we haven’t been cured of a disease that medical science recognizes as incurable at the present time (“Private Lives,” by Betty Goodwin, Oct. 19).

Besides holding out false hopes, Falana’s comments are guilt-inducing and promote a blame-the-victim attitude that is both unfair and damaging to people with MS.

As one who has lived with this disease for many years, some of which I have spent as a peer counselor for others with MS, I also resent Falana’s comments on the use of canes, crutches, etc. She has the right to reject such items herself, but for some people, going without walking aids leads to broken bones and/or an unnecessarily limited life style. Her statements simply make a hard situation even harder.

In short, Ms. Falana, don’t use your prominence as a performer to preach a message that does nothing more than undermine the efforts of other people who are dealing with MS.

LAURA REMSON MITCHELL, Canoga Park