Jamie-Lynn Sigler Multiple Sclerosis: Cuban Actress Reveals Struggles, Raises Awareness

Actress Jamie-Lynn Sigler has been out of the spotlight for a little while dealing with health issues. The star, who had taken a step back from the spotlight, has decided to speak out about living with multiple sclerosis and raising awareness about the disease.

According to FOX News Health, “The Sopranos” actress has decided to publicly speak out about her personal journey and encourage people who suffer with multiple sclerosis to find support.

The 35-year-old actress was diagnosed with MS at 20-year-old. After going to the emergency room complaining of abnormal sensation in her legs, she was diagnosed with the disease. The star underwent a spinal tap and an MRI before being diagnosed with the most common form of the disease.

“When you’re 20 years old, you have your life ahead of you,” Sigler told the site. “I already had a big career. It was difficult to accept.”

After Jamie’s symptoms shortly subsided, the actress did not adhere to treatment. Feeling like the diagnosis was random, she didn’t give things much thought.

“It was difficult for me to accept and live my life that way,” she said.

Unfortunately for the starlet, her symptoms began to resurface due to stress triggers. Realizing that symptoms of the disease come and goes, se decided to speak out about her diagnosis.

“Coming out about this disease was really empowering, and allowed me a new platform and a great sense of responsibility I feel now to the MS community,” she said.

Jamie-Lynn has now partnered with pharmaceutical company Biogen for its "Reimagine Myself" campaign to educate people on treatment that can help manage MS and letting them know that their diagnosis doesn’t have to define them.

“I think a lot of the time when people are dealing with any chronic illness you can feel very isolated, you can feel alone, you feel like people don’t understand,” Sigler said. “I wanted to be somebody that says, ‘I get it, I feel you, I hear you, I go through what you go through, and I understand.”