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12 pics of Angelina Jolie demanding the world help Syrian refugees.

The actor wants change.

Wherever Angelina Jolie goes, adoring fans will wait just to catch a glimpse of the Hollywood star.

Like in Athens, Greece, where the actor was greeted by crowds on March 16, 2016.


Photo by Louisa Gouliamaki/AFP/Getty Images.

But the families in the photo above couldn't be further away from the bright lights of Hollywood (or the comforts of home, for that matter). They're refugees staying in Greece's port of Piraeus.

Jolie, a UNHCR special envoy, dropped by the port on Wednesday to greet the refugees, most of whom fled Syria, Iraq, and Afghanistan due to war.

Photo by Louisa Gouliamaki/AFP/Getty Images.

Jolie is also meeting with leaders there to reiterate the humanitarian group's commitment in helping Greece — where about 85% of all the Middle East's refugees have poured into Europe — to reinforce and expand resettlement efforts.

Her visit came just a day after a rainy trip to Lebanon, where she gave an emotional speech pleading for the world to do more to alleviate the refugee crisis.

Photo by Patrick Baz/AFP/Getty Images.

"Every Syrian refugee I have spoken to on this visit, without exception, talked of their desire to return home when the war is over and it is safe for them to do so," she said. "Not with resignation, but with the light in their eyes of people dreaming of being reunited with the country that they love."

In recent years, Jolie has become one of the most visible figures demanding action on the Syrian refugee crisis. Like in 2007, when she visited a camp in Damascus, where 1,200 people who'd been torn away from their communities were staying.

Photo by Morris Bernard/UN High Commissioner for Refugeesvia Getty Images.

Or when she met with an elderly woman, who was trapped inside an Iraqi camp, unable to leave due to violence in neighboring regions.

Photo by Morris Bernard/UN High Commissioner for Refugeesvia Getty Images.

In 2012, Jolie visited victims of war near the Syria-Jordan border.

Photo by Khalil Mazraawi/AFP/Getty Images.

At that time, more than 250,000 people had fled Syria due to conflict — now, that figure's closer to 4.8 million.

Jolie met with displaced families in Khanke last January, too, a few months before giving them a voice on the world stage at the UN.

Photo by Andrew McConnell/UNHCR via Getty Images.

"In 2011, the Syrian refugees I met were full of hope," Jolie said in a speech in front of the UN Security Council in April 2015 in New York City. "They said 'please, tell people what is happening to us,' trusting that the truth alone would guarantee international action."

"When I returned, hope was turning into anger: the anger of the man who held his baby up to me, asking, 'Is this a terrorist? Is my son a terrorist?' On my last visit in February, anger had subsided into resignation, misery and the bitter question, 'Why are we, the Syrian people, not worth saving?'”

And throughout all of these travels, she's had a special place in her heart for those most vulnerable in times of war: children.

Photo by J. Tanner/UNHCR via Getty Images.

Photo by Andrew McConnell/UNHCR via Getty Images.

Photo by STR/AFP/Getty Images.

Her most recent visit with refugees, however, comes at an especially critical time.

A summit is underway this week in Brussels, with the European Union and Turkey hoping to finalize a resettlement strategy in the region by March 18.

The deal, however, hasn't been without controversy, as it could send thousands of Syrians who came to Greece unlawfully back to Turkey in exchange for "genuine" asylum seekers — a move some protesters say is both illegal and immoral, given international law regarding refugees.


Photo by Milos Bicanski/Getty Images.

What's more, ISIS — the terror group that's uprooted millions of families now seeking refuge in Europe — is officially considered responsible for genocide, Secretary of State John Kerry announced on March 17.

The categorization reflects a grave situation unfolding where Jolie is working on the ground.

During this pivotal week, Jolie met with Greek Prime Minister Alexis Tsipras in hopes of making sure helping refugees remains a top priority.

Photo by Louisa Gouliamaki/AFP/Getty Images.

"I am here to reinforce efforts by UNHCR and the Greek government to step up the emergency response to the deteriorating humanitarian situation," Jolie said in a press release. "I look forward to meeting authorities, partners and volunteers working on the ground to improve conditions and ensure the vulnerable are protected."

Photo by Louisa Gouliamaki/AFP/Getty Images.

Jolie may have a bigger megaphone than you when it comes to promoting action, but you shouldn't feel hopeless.

There are plenty of ways everyday people can fight for refugees, from spreading critical information on the crisis through social media channels, to lending a hand as a volunteer, or donating funds for support. Learn more about ways you can help here.

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Three women, three MS journeys: How multiple sclerosis looks different for everyone

Gina, Nathalie and Helga share their reactions to being diagnosed with MS and how they stay informed and positive in the face of ever-changing symptoms.

Courtesy of Sanofi

Helga, Nathalie and Gina all have MS, and their experiences show how differently the disease can manifest.

True

It’s been 155 years since neurologist Jean-Martin Charcot gave the first lecture on a mysterious progressive illness he called “multiple sclerosis.” Since then, we’ve learned a lot. We know MS causes the immune system to attack healthy tissue, including damaging the brain and spinal cord. Resulting symptoms can be debilitating and include fatigue, blurred vision, memory problems and weakness. Huge advancements in our understanding of MS and its underlying causes, as well as treatment advances, have been made in the past few decades, but MS remains a complex and unpredictable reality for the 2.8 million+ people diagnosed around the world.

Ironically, the only real constant for people living with MS is change. There’s no set pattern or standard progression of the disease, so each person’s experience is unique. Some people with MS have mild symptoms that worsen slowly but sometimes improve, while others can have severe symptoms that drastically alter their daily lives.

All people with MS share some things in common, however, such as the need to stay informed on the ever-evolving research, find various lines of support and try to remain hopeful as they continue living with the disease.

To better understand what navigating life with MS really looks like, three women shared their MS stories with us. Their journeys demonstrate how MS can look different for different people and interestingly, how the language used to talk about the disease can greatly impact how people understand their realities.

woman with horse, woman riding horseGina loves riding her horse, Benita.Courtesy of Sanofi

Gina—Hamburg, Germany (diagnosed with relapsing multiple sclerosis in 2017)

When her youngest son was 4 months old, Gina started having problems with her eye. She’d soon learn she was experiencing optic neuritis—her first symptom of MS.

“Immediately after the diagnosis, I looked up facts on MS because I didn’t know anything about it,” Gina says. “And as soon as I knew what could really happen with this disease, I actually got scared.”

As her family’s primary income provider, she worried about how MS would impact her ability to work as a writer and editor. Her family was afraid she was going to end up in a wheelchair. However, for now, Gina’s MS is managed well enough that she still works full-time and is able to be active.

“When I tell somebody that I have MS, they often don't believe me the first time because I don't fulfill any stereotypes,” she says.

Overwhelmed by negative perspectives on living with MS, Gina sought support in the online MS community, which she found to be much more positive.

“I think it’s important to use as many positive words as you can when talking about MS.” It’s important to be realistic while also conveying hope, she says. “MS is an insidious disease that can cause many bad symptoms…that can be frightening, and you can't gloss over it, either.”

To give back to the online community that helped her so much, Gina started a blog to share her story and help others trying to learn about their diagnosis.

Though she deals with fatigue and cognitive dysfunction sometimes, Gina stays active swimming, biking, riding horses and playing with her sons, who are now 11 and 6.

Cognitive dysfunction is common in MS, with over half of people affected. It can impact memory, attention, planning, and word-finding. As with many aspects of MS, some people experience mild changes, while others face more challenges.

Gina says that while there’s still a lot of education about MS needed, she feels positive about the future of MS because there’s so much research being done.

woman in wheelchair holding medal, woman rowingNathalie is an award-winning rower with multiple international titles.Courtesy of Sanofi

Nathalie — Pennes Mirabeau, France (diagnosed with relapsing-remitting multiple sclerosis in 2002)

Nathalie was a teenager and a competitive athlete when she noticed her first symptoms of MS, but it would take four years of “limbo” before she was diagnosed.

“Ultimately, the diagnosis was more of a relief, than a shock,” she says. “Because when you have signs and you don’t know why, it’s worse than knowing, in the end, what you have.”

However, learning more about the disease—and the realities of disease progression—scared her.

“That glimpse of the future was direct and traumatic,” she says. Her neurologist explained that the disease evolves differently for everyone, and her situation might end up being serious or very mild. So, she decided to stop comparing herself to others with MS.

She said to herself, “We’ll see what happens, and you’ll manage it bit by bit.”

By 2005, Nathalie’s MS had progressed to the point of needing a wheelchair. However, that has not dampened her competitive spirit.

Nathalie began her international rowing career in 2009 and has won multiple world titles, including two Paralympic medals—silver in London and bronze in Tokyo. Now, at 42, she still trains 11 times a week. Fatigue can be a problem, and sometimes hard workouts leave her with muscle stiffness and shaking, but she credits her ongoing sports career for helping her feel in tune with her body’s signals.

“Over the years, I’ve learned to listen to my body, letting my body guide when I need to stop and take breaks,” she says.

Nathalie explains that she used to only look backwards because of the initial shock of her diagnosis. In time, she stopped thinking about what she couldn’t do anymore and focused on her future. She now lives in the following mindset: “Even when doors close, don’t miss out on those that open.” Instead of focusing on what she can’t do, she focuses on the opportunities she still has. Right now, this includes her training for the 2024 Paralympic Games in Paris, where she will compete for another rowing medal.

“I only go forward,” she says. “Well, I try, anyway…It’s easy to say, it’s not always easy to do. But that’s what I try to do.”

woman exiting water after swimming, woman with great daneHelga's Great Dane has become a helpful and beloved companion.Courtesy of Sanofi

Helga—Johannesburg, South Africa (diagnosed with relapsing multiple sclerosis in 2010)

When Helga first started having balance issues and numbness in her feet, she chalked it up to her training as a runner. But when the numbness moved to her face, she knew something was wrong. She never guessed it was MS.

“When I was diagnosed, I felt completely overwhelmed and clueless,” Helga says. “I felt that I had nowhere near enough information. I did not know anything about the disease…I had no idea that it was going to be a process of continually monitoring and adjusting your lifestyle.”

In the beginning, Helga’s symptoms developed slowly, and she didn’t appear ill to others. She was even able to run for a few years after her diagnosis, but she couldn’t do marathons anymore, and she began to fall frequently due to balance issues and right-foot dragging. Then her cognition issues became more problematic, especially in her job as a trainer in a printing company.

“My executive function, decision-making and short-term memory were affected to the point that I was eventually medically unfit for work,” she says. She stopped working in 2017.

However, she didn’t stop living life. Even though she could no longer run, she continued to swim competitively. She got a Great Dane puppy and trained him as a service dog to help her walk. She also serves as vice chair of the patient support organization Multiple Sclerosis South Africa, and she advises others who have been diagnosed to join a patient advocacy group as soon as possible to get reliable information and meet others with MS.

Helga says she is “hopeful” about the future of MS. “I must say that I am so grateful that we have all the new medications available, because my life would not be the same if it wasn't for that,” she adds.

Part of how she manages her MS is by looking at the positives.

“If I could tell the world one thing about MS, it would be that MS is an incurable disease of the nervous system, but it's also the greatest teacher of valuing your health, family, friends, and managing change in your life,” she says. “My life is diversified in a way that I never, ever thought it would, and MS has been honestly the greatest teacher.”

Each MS journey is unique – with each person impacted experiencing different struggles, successes, and feelings as they manage this unpredictable disease. But the common thread is clear – there is a critical need for information, support, and hope. We are proud to participate in World MS Day and share these incredible stories of living life while living with MS. To learn more about MS, go to https://www.sanofi.com/why-words-really-matter-when-it-comes-to-multiple-sclerosis.

MAT-GLB-2301642-v1.0-05/2023

This article was sponsored by Sanofi. Participants were compensated when applicable.

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