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Living With MS: Finding Hope Through Faith, Research, and Philanthropy

When Andrew Warner began a new workout routine, he expected the usual sore muscles and improved stamina – not the first signs of a diagnosis that would reshape how he understood faith, healing, and community.

A few months into his new fitness plan in 2021, Andrew started noticing something unusual. “I began getting numbness in my feet and tingling in my legs and arms,” he recalls. “I wasn’t comfortable on the treadmill, and I thought, this isn’t right.” Within weeks, MRIs and a spinal tap confirmed what no one expected: multiple sclerosis, commonly known as MS.

“Unlike many MS patients, I was really quickly diagnosed,” Andrew says. “By November, it was clear I had MS – there wasn’t any doubt about it. What felt strange was realizing this had been going on in my body without me knowing.”

Finding Care and a Community at Froedtert Hospital

After his diagnosis, Andrew sought specialized care at the , where he met Ahmed Zayed Obeidat, MD, PhD, an associate professor in the Department of Neurology at the ���Ϲ��� and researcher who focuses on MS.

“I wanted a neurologist who focused just on MS,” Andrew explains. “When my husband and I met Dr. Obeidat, we felt like we were the only patients in the world. He could have spent the whole week with us if we needed it. That’s when I knew this was who I wanted to provide my care.”

Dr. Obeidat’s approach gave Andrew confidence – and connection. “He doesn’t just treat symptoms,” Andrew says. “He helps me see how I can be part of the bigger story.”

“Our patients are our best teachers; they help advance our understanding of complex diseases like MS,” said Dr. Obeidat. “Further, they give us the motivation and drive to continue what we do. We are honored and privileged to be part of the care team of Andrew and many patients who for us are like family.”

Advancing Research Through Clinical Trials

Soon after joining Froedtert, Andrew learned about the , a national longitudinal clinical trial led by Johns Hopkins University, with Froedtert and ���Ϲ��� as a collaborating site. The study follows newly diagnosed patients over time to determine which standard-of-care treatments are most effective.

“Every six months, I go in for evaluations – cognitive tests, mobility tests, sometimes blood work,” he explains. “They’re rigorous. The tests push you to failure, so it feels like playing a game, but it’s manageable. Ninety minutes every six months, plus a few questionnaires. It’s not burdensome.”

Participation gives him purpose. “Even if I have a bad MS day, I know I’m contributing to figuring out a cure,” he says. “I’m not the scientist – my way is to be the experimental subject. That’s meaningful for me.”

“Each MS diagnosis is as different as the person diagnosed – so it takes an extremely diverse set of specialties to treat it,” said Shekar Kurpad, MD, PhD, President and CEO of the ���Ϲ��� and Founding Director of the Wisconsin Institute of NeuroScience (WINS), a partnership of Children’s Wisconsin, the Froedtert & the ���Ϲ��� health network, the ���Ϲ��� and the Clement J. Zablocki VA Medical Center. “We created WINS to bring those specialties together – along with research, clinical trials and the education that trains the next generation of care – so people in Wisconsin and beyond can know this is where they will receive the best care, no matter their age or need.”

Faith, Embodiment and Learning

For Andrew, a pastor for more than 20 years and now a fundraiser for the United Church of Christ, faith has been central to navigating his diagnosis.

“My brother, who also has an autoimmune disease, told me that coming out as a gay man had shaped my spiritual journey,” Andrew says. “Then he asked me, how will MS become a new part of that journey? That’s the question I carry.”

Instead of viewing MS as a setback, Andrew sees it as a teacher. “I live with the question: What can MS teach me? That’s been a better way to hold this diagnosis – with wonder and learning instead of anxiety.”

That mindset shows up in how he prays and moves through the world. “I’ve embraced more embodied prayer – using body movement, ritual, walking, running,” he says. “Not everyone thinks of running as a spiritual activity, but I experience it that way. Any neurologist would say exercise is good, but for me, it also heals my heart and soul.”

Giving Back

Since his diagnosis, Andrew and his family have made MS fundraising and advocacy part of their lives. “MS research wasn’t part of my philanthropy before my diagnosis,” he says. “But that changed. My husband and I do the MS Challenge Walk – 50 miles in Door County. My son runs marathons for the MS Society team. Other family members give in my honor. It’s become something we do together.”

He calls philanthropy an antidote to loneliness. “When I was going through the diagnosis – MRIs, a spinal tap – it felt unbearably lonely,” Andrew says. “Now, giving reminds me I’m not alone. It’s not Andrew versus MS. It’s a whole community walking this journey with me.”

“That’s the beautiful thing about philanthropy,” he adds. “The word literally means love of humanity. When I give, I experience that love – I feel connected, I feel less alone.”

Looking Ahead

Today, Andrew lives with MS as a patient, a research participant, and a person of deep faith. “I don’t measure my body against an ideal anymore,” he says. “I ask: what meaning am I finding in my body? What grace gets revealed to me?”

His experience connects medicine, spirituality, and community – all grounded in generosity.

“It’s about transforming what happens to you into something that helps others,” Andrew says. “That’s how we move forward.”