What does it look like to keep showing up year after year and mile after mile for the people you love and the cause you believe in?

In this episode of A Couple Takes on MS Podcast, we’re joined by Doug Binkley, known throughout the Bike MS community as “Patches” for his ever-growing collection of event patches earned nationwide.

His connection to MS is deeply personal. Patches rides in honor of his wife, Diane, who was diagnosed with MS at 26 years old, and his mother, who also lived with the disease.

Patches has completed more than 37 Bike MS rides and 40+ century rides over the past 16 years, traveling from state to state to support the MS community in a big way.

He has also become a Bike MS volunteer and a passionate fundraiser, reaching the Passport level by raising thousands of dollars to support research, programs and hope.

In our conversation, Patches shares what first inspired him to get on the bike, how faith and resilience shape his outlook, and why the camaraderie of the Bike MS community keeps him coming back.

We chat about honoring loved ones through action, the motivation that comes from riding alongside others who “get it,” and what it means to commit to something bigger than yourself.

As we kick off 2026, Patches reminds us that progress happens through consistency, community and purpose and that every mile, every patch, and every rider truly matters.

Listen now to hear his inspiring story and why he’s already gearing up for multiple Bike MS rides in 2026, starting in Louisiana this March.

Here are the links we referenced that offer depth and insights for our conversation:

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Remember to rate, review and subscribe to A Couple Takes on MS Podcast for two insightful perspectives on this one multifaceted disease.

As we closed out 2025, we found ourselves reflecting on what it really means to keep showing up while living with Multiple Sclerosis and how, sometimes, the best way to move forward is to look back.

In this episode of A Couple Takes on MS Podcast, we talk honestly about the opportunities, challenges, adaptations and lessons that shaped our year.

We explore how living with MS has taught us to think a few steps ahead, adjust expectations, and stay engaged in the life we want to live, even when it doesn’t look the way we originally imagined.

This includes sharing stories about travel, graduations, concerts, sporting events and everyday moments with friends; all through the lens of one guiding question: Is the juice worth the squeeze?

That question helps us decide when to push forward, when to pause, and how to reframe what “showing up” really looks like.

This conversation also touches on:

Most of all, this episode is about partnership. This includes showing up for each other, making thoughtful choices together, and continuing to move forward in ways that honor our health, energy and shared goals.

To catch some of our best images from this past year, check out Jennifer's blog post How I remember 2025 (without overdoing it).

As we look ahead to 2026, we’re reminded that showing up doesn’t have to mean doing everything or doing it perfectly. Sometimes it simply means doing what you can, with what you have, right where you are.

Thank you for being part of our community and for continuing to walk and roll alongside us.

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Remember to rate, review and subscribe to A Couple Takes on MS Podcast for two insightful perspectives on this one multifaceted disease.

Caregiving is an act of love, but it can also be exhausting, overwhelming, and emotionally heavy.

That’s why self-care for caregivers isn’t selfish. It’s essential.

In this episode of A Couple Takes on MS, we’re joined by Susanne White, a best-selling author and passionate voice in the caregiver advocacy community. Susanne shares how stepping into a caregiving role for her parents changed her life and ultimately led her to dedicate her work to supporting caregivers everywhere.

Together, we talk honestly about the realities caregivers face, including:

Throughout the conversation, Susanne offers powerful insights about reframing success, accepting imperfection, and learning to be kind to yourself while caring for someone else.

Susanne reminds us that caregivers were never meant to do this work in isolation. Community, communication, and self-awareness aren’t optional. They’re essential to sustaining care over time.

We also talk about her book, Self-Care for Caregivers, a practical and accessible resource made for caregivers who are short on time but still need support.

Here are the links we referenced that offer depth and insights for our conversation:

• caregiverwarrior.com – Official website for you to access Susanne’s perspectives and insights on living as a caregiver and getting the support you need.

• Self-Care for Caregivers: A Practical Guide to Caring for You While You Care for Your Loved One – Learn more about and order your copy of Susanne’s book that’s described as, “The ultimate caregivers’ guide to resilience, strength, and balance.” 

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Remember to rate, review and subscribe to A Couple Takes on MS Podcast for two insightful perspectives on this one multifaceted disease.

Adaptive fashion matters. It’s about dignity, confidence, creativity, and ensuring people with MS feel seen and supported.

In this episode, we share our experiences as runway models at the 2nd Annual MS Focus on Fashion event in Fort Lauderdale, hosted by the Multiple Sclerosis Foundation. We take you behind the scenes of a memorable weekend that went from accessible travel challenges to celebrating adaptive style.

We get real about the realities of traveling with mobility devices, including navigating airports, finding accessible transportation, and the extra planning that goes into every trip. We also highlight the bright spots, including Delta Airlines' support and white-glove treatment of Jennifer’s power wheelchair and the warm community at the event.

Ah yes, the main event, where Jennifer models a custom hand-painted jacket by Project Runway runner-up Nancy Bolt Barringer, and Dan walks the runway in adaptive magnetic jeans and a button-down shirt from MagnaReady and a stylish cane from Fashionable Canes.

To read more about our runway experience and see pictures from the fashion show, check out Jennifer’s essay Fashion, MS and a 28-year moment I’ll never forget on our blog.

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Remember to rate, review and subscribe to A Couple Takes on MS Podcast for two insightful perspectives on this one multifaceted disease.

In this episode, we’re honored to welcome Professor Robert Motl, a leading researcher whose work has revolutionized the understanding of how exercise and physical activity help manage Multiple Sclerosis.

As a professor at the University of Illinois Chicago, Rob (as he prefers to be called) has dedicated his career to studying how movement, fitness and behavior change can improve mobility, cognition, fatigue, and overall quality of life for people living with MS.

He’s published hundreds of studies and is recognized worldwide as one of the leading voices in the neuroscience of exercise and MS.

In this episode, Rob shares how and why movement truly matters at every stage of the MS journey. We discuss:

Tune in to hear Rob’s insights and discover why movement might be one of the most powerful tools we have for living well with MS.

Here are the links that offer depth and insights for our conversation:

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Remember to rate, review and subscribe to A Couple Takes on MS Podcast for two insightful perspectives on this one multifaceted disease.

When Allié McGuire was 41 years old and learned the reason behind years of unexplained symptoms was Multiple Sclerosis, that moment didn’t silence her.

It sparked a mission.

Today, Allié uses storytelling to elevate voices and causes that often go unseen. She is an award-winning speaker, media producer, and co-founder of AwareNow Media, which is home to AwareNow Magazine – a global platform that reaches more than 8 million readers each month with stories that create awareness and inspire action.

In this episode, we chat with Allié about how MS changed the way she sees the world and how it changed the world she sees. Her message is powerful: when life hands you limits, you can still move forward with impact.

This belief led her to launch the “Because I Can” Virtual 5K, with a bold goal of becoming the world’s largest virtual 5K for MS. Anyone, anywhere, can take part – walking, rolling, running, biking, swimming – whatever movement looks like for you. It’s a way to raise visibility for MS and support others living with this unpredictable disease.

We also explore with Allié:

Allié’s journey is a reminder that every step, both literal and metaphorical, can help someone else see what’s possible.

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Remember to rate, review and subscribe to A Couple Takes on MS Podcast for two insightful perspectives on this one multifaceted disease.

It’s been a busy (and meaningful) stretch for us these past few weeks!

In this episode, we take you behind the scenes of our latest adventures across Michigan — from savoring local flavors at the Taste of Generosity event in Royal Oak to celebrating our 20th wedding anniversary (20 years!) at a Detroit Tigers game, complete with accessibility wins at Comerica Park.

But our travels didn’t stop there.

We also traveled to Lansing for MS State Action Day, where we met with lawmakers to advocate for solutions to medical debt, a critical issue for many in the MS community. Additionally, we share updates from our recent neurology appointment in Ann Arbor, including how a small medication adjustment made a significant difference in Dan’s sleep and daily life.

Join us as we reflect on the power of self-care, the importance of caregiver support, and how embracing each moment keeps us moving forward together.

Here are the links we referenced that offer depth and insights for our conversation:

• Epic in-state journeys from baseball @ Comerica to lawmakers @ the Capitol – Our blog photo essay that highlights the moments we discuss in this episode.

• Episode 84 – Taking on MSd with the Wrong MFR – Link to the podcast episode featuring our conversation with Adam Powell, one of the many friends we a chance meeting with at Taste of Generosity.

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Remember to rate, review and subscribe to A Couple Takes on MS Podcast for two insightful perspectives on this one multifaceted disease.

In the epic episode, we welcome legendary blogger, podcaster and fashion icon Ardra Shephard. In our conversation, we celebrate her trailblazing work in the MS and disability communities and get an inside look into her highly anticipated memoir, “Fallosophy: My Trip through Life with MS,” released in March 2025.

Ardea shares her journey with writing, how MS has affected her identity, and the importance of honesty and humor in her storytelling. She also discusses her award-winning blog and podcast, "Tripping on Air," and touches on the growth of adaptive fashion and the vital role of community and support for people with chronic illnesses. 

Our chat concludes with the ACTOMS Podcast feature “MS In Their Voices,” where Ardra reads the first chapter of her book, "Dear Satan," which humorously recounts a foretelling Halloween night with friends.

Here are the links that offer depth and insights for our conversation:

• “Fallosophy: My Trip through Life with MS”– Get all the info you need about Ardra’s book and how you can order your copy of the memoir that Dan says every person living with MS has to read.

• Tripping on Air  – Keep up with Ardra through her award-winning blog and podcast

• 7 Questions with A Couple featuring Ardra Shephard – Dig into the ACTOMS archives and check out our November 2022 conversation with Ardra.

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Remember to rate, review and subscribe to A Couple Takes on MS Podcast for two insightful perspectives on this one multifaceted disease.

**Episode feature image photo by Alkan Emin

When you are living with Multiple Sclerosis, how do you know when you need to take on fewer activities? To take a break. To say, “Not today.”

To give yourself permission and just stop.

In this episode, we reflect on these thoughts after a busy month filled with activities—everything from family visiting for a week to undergoing several MS treatments; making a trip back to Iowa to see more family; being interviewed by several media outlets; and attending several baseball games, concerts, and church committee meetings. 

All that, on top of Dan working full-time, Jennifer maintaining our home life with her caregiver Jen, and, oh yeah, both of us living with MS.

Join us in our conversation about how we continually try to know our limits in what we can and can’t do, while granting ourselves the grace to sit things out guilt-free in the name of self-care and investing our time and energy in the moments that matter.

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Remember to rate, review and subscribe to A Couple Takes on MS Podcast for two insightful perspectives on this one multifaceted disease.

Adam Powell’s social media account name says it all.

Indeed, Multiple Sclerosis MSd w/the Wrong MFR when it decided to enter his life as Primary Progressive MS in June 2019.

Join us for this engaging and insightful conversation with Adam Powell, a committed MS advocate and inspiring voice for the MS community.

Adam shares the frustration of an initial misdiagnosis—with his symptoms first mistaken for a sports hernia—and the life-changing shift when his condition rapidly worsened, forcing him to use a wheelchair. Using vulnerability and humor, he emphasizes the importance of mental strength and perseverance in managing MS and talks about how he’s now aiming to launch his own MS nonprofit to help others.

Listen for his meme-worthy comments on the power of resilience, the importance of community, and the belief that even in tough moments, progress is possible.

Be sure to follow Adam on:

• Instagram

• TikTok

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Remember to rate, review and subscribe to A Couple Takes on MS Podcast for two insightful perspectives on this one multifaceted disease.