A young Co Antrim woman is turning her personal battle with multiple sclerosis into a powerful platform for change - determined to challenge misconceptions around invisible disabilities and inspire others to “take their power back”.
Casiana Alina, 24, from Ballymena, was diagnosed with multiple sclerosis (MS) in September 2025 after a three-year journey of worsening symptoms, repeated tests and feeling “overlooked” by medical professionals.
“I knew something wasn’t right for a while,” she said. “It took me three years to get answers. When you’re in your early 20s, sometimes you don’t feel taken seriously.”
MS is a long-term condition that affects the central nervous system - the brain and spinal cord. In MS, the immune system mistakenly attacks the protective covering around nerve fibres (called myelin), which disrupts how messages travel between the brain and the rest of the body.
This disruption can cause a wide range of symptoms, which vary from person to person. Common ones include fatigue, numbness or tingling, muscle weakness, problems with balance or walking, vision issues, and “brain fog” (difficulty concentrating or thinking clearly).
MS is often described as an “invisible illness” because many symptoms aren’t obvious to others. It can also be relapsing-remitting, meaning symptoms can flare up for a period and then improve.
There is currently no cure, but treatments can help manage symptoms, slow progression, and reduce relapses.
Casiana’s early symptoms included numbness in her right arm, temporary loss of vision in one eye, numbness in half her tongue, severe fatigue and brain fog. In 2022, she travelled to Poland for private testing after struggling to get clarity through the NI healthcare system.
“It showed a possible autoimmune condition, but I still needed further testing,” she said.
As her condition progressed, she pushed for further investigation, eventually leading to a referral to a neurologist and a diagnosis of relapsing remitting MS
Looking back, she believes she first began experiencing symptoms while at university, during a period of intense stress.
“I was exhausted all the time and people thought I was just lazy,” she said. “I even started to believe it myself.”
Since her diagnosis, Casiana has been receiving treatment, which she says has helped reduce flare-ups and improve her energy levels, despite initial side effects.
“People see me dressed up or wearing makeup and assume I’m fine. But MS doesn’t always look like what people expect
— Casiana Alina
“My consultant said I have quite aggressive MS,” she explained. “But I feel a real difference with treatment. I’m very grateful to the NHS and my doctors.”
Alongside managing her condition, Casiana works full-time as a business manager overseeing a team of 11 staff.
“I still work, I still have goals and I still have ambitions,” she said. “It’s challenging, but I don’t want to stop living my life.”
Now, she is also competing in beauty pageants - a childhood dream she says she once put on hold.
Her latest competition, Miss Great Britain Belfast, will take place at The Merchant Hotel in Belfast on June 7, following her success in reaching the top 10 at Miss Supra National UK earlier this year.
“I always loved pageants,” she said. “But after my diagnosis, I realised I can’t keep waiting. I just had to go for it.”
Through pageantry and her growing online platform, she is also raising awareness of MS and advocating for greater understanding of invisible disabilities.
“People see me dressed up or wearing makeup and assume I’m fine,” she said. “But MS doesn’t always look like what people expect. Some days I can barely walk short distances.”
She says the lack of visible symptoms often leads to misunderstanding - particularly when she uses a disability badge.
“On the days I have the energy, I love to put my best foot forward, which includes getting glammed for my journey as a finalist. However, as many in the MS community know, we face debilitating symptoms that aren’t always visible; severe fatigue, brain fog, and the effects of being immunocompromised due to medication.
“The invisible nature of my condition creates a painful paradox: on the days I feel well enough to dress up and go out, I frequently face judgmental stares when using my disability badge. People often don’t believe that a young woman in heels or makeup can be disabled. However, yes I may wear heels occasionally and yes I may get glammed, but yes, I am still disabled…It is heart-breaking to feel penalised for simply wanting to make myself feel good on a rare day of higher energy."
Read more: ‘I don’t look disabled’: Co Down woman speaks out on MS stigma in Northern Ireland – The Irish News
Casiana says her goal is to challenge stigma, encourage earlier diagnosis for others, and show that life does not end after a chronic illness diagnosis.
“I refuse to let my condition define me,” she said. “I want to take my power back and hopefully inspire others to do the same.”
Since sharing her journey online, she has gained thousands of supporters and now works with the MS Trust to help raise awareness and educate others.
“The response has been overwhelming,” she said. “People with MS tell me they feel seen.”
Despite the challenges, she says she is determined to keep pushing forward.
“I had a moment when I was diagnosed where I broke down,” she said. “But then I told myself I can still live my life. I can still dream.”
She adds: “My mission through Miss Great Britain is to raise awareness for these hidden struggles and to show other girls (whether they have MS or another disability) that they should never let society’s limited view hold them back or make them feel ashamed of the support they need.”