Meet Rob
Meet Rob, an advocate for inclusion
It’s our pleasure to introduce you to Rob Sarles, a member of the iConquerMS Research Inclusion Diversity and Equity (RIDE) Council! The RIDE Council is working to bridge the gap between awareness and full representation of racial, ethnic, and gender minority groups in research. Rob holds a deep-seated passion for this effort, which will bring us one step closer to ensuring that all individuals living with MS can receive the best information, outcomes, and care possible.
Rob is originally from southeast TX and currently lives about an hour north of Nashville, TN. He is married and has 2 children. Rob is a musician, through and through. He studied music in college, earning a Bachelor’s degree in music and a Master’s in music theory and composition.
Music is my main thing. I’ve directed choirs and performed. Voice is my primary, but I also play piano and trumpet. I’m pretty limited in terms of what I can do musically now, but I have a little studio where I can do limited things. I can still enjoy it, listen to it and go to concerts.
Rob was diagnosed with MS 10 years ago. Hehasbeen disabled for about 5 years. He shares, “At this point I’m still relapsing remitting, but possibly secondary progressive MS. They haven’t given an official upgrade yet. I started experiencing my first symptoms in 2008. My hands and feet went numb for a few weeks. My doctor did all of the MS diagnostics except for a lumbar puncture and didn’t find anything. About 5 years later I
was walking home from work and realized that I didn’t know if I could take another step. IwenttomydoctorthenextdayandheimmediatelyorderedanMRI. Theyfoundsome lesions on my spine and admitted me to the hospital. I spent several days there. They didn’t give me an official diagnosis when I left the hospital, they waited until my first neurologist appointment to break the news to me… I’ve been on Kesimpta for a little over 2 years now and it seems to be helping some. There are no new lesions. I’ve still had some disability progression, but at least as far as the MRIs go, it’s been clean.”
