She thought MS would take everything from her, but training for 13.1 miles showed her how much she still had.
In 2018, Karleen Roy, now in her mid-40s, started experiencing sudden, electric shock–like pain that would stop her in her tracks—sometimes literally dropping her to the floor in the middle of high-profile celebrity events she was producing.
After a year of inconclusive tests, she was eventually diagnosed with multiple sclerosis in 2019. In October 2025, she completed her first half-marathon. Here, she shares how advocating for herself, changing her lifestyle, and learning to move differently with MS led her to the finish line, as told to writer L’Oreal Thompson Payton. On the outside, my life looked grand: red carpet events, lavish parties, international travel, and designer clothes. But several years ago, my body started sending me signals that something was wrong. Around 2018, I began experiencing intense, random bouts of pain. It felt like my body was being electrocuted from the inside out. Each episode lasted between 11 and 17 minutes, and I know this because I timed them. After months of dealing with pain, my face started shifting. It almost looked like I had Bell’s palsy, a condition that causes one side of the face to droop. At that point I knew I needed to go to the doctor. I saw my primary care doctor, multiple neurologists, a sports medicine specialist, and even a chiropractor—and not a single one could figure out what was wrong. As I shared my symptoms, every doctor had a different theory: “Oh, it’s stress.” “Oh, you’re having a muscle spasm.” Then they would prescribe medication to take when the pain started. But I didn’t want to just numb the pain; I wanted answers. The relief and uncertainty of an MS diagnosis For about a year I didn’t feel heard. In 2019, I was referred to a neurologist and she said to me, 'I'm just going to prescribe you medication for a seizure and let’s see if that works.” That was my breaking point. I completely lost my cool, which is so outside of my character. I felt awful, but that is what led to me finding the answers that I needed. After our conversation, she agreed to order one more MRI. I was boarding a flight from New York to Los Angeles for red carpet season when my doctor’s office kept calling. When I finally answered, she said, “I hate to deliver this news to you this way, it’s MS. When you get back in town, come into the office so we can start assembling your care team.” I got on that plane in complete shock. The flight attendant saw how riled up I was and she offered me wine and champagne. As soon as I checked into my hotel, I broke down in tears and called my mom. “My life is over. I’m going to end up in a wheelchair. I’ll never walk again,” I told her. At that time, the only images I had of MS were of people who needed walkers or wheelchairs to get around. I knew very little about the disease and how different it could look from person to person. Once I was back in New York, I met with the neurologist at Mount Sinai that my doctor recommended. At our first appointment, I said, “I’m going to cut to the chase. I’m trying to be a bad bitch for the rest of my life and this is messing up my plan.” She laughed at me and said, “Karleen, I’m going to tell you the three things you need to do to be able to manage this: You need to eat well, you need to rest, and you need to move your body—and you will be just fine.” Reclaiming my health, one mile at a time Before I made any changes, I wanted to educate myself. So, I turned to my community. I asked friends if they knew anyone with MS and started meeting people for brunch so I could learn more about living with it. I learned a lot—most importantly, that MS doesn’t look the same for everyone. Sure, some people with MS do need walking assistance, or even a wheelchair, but others can still maintain physical independence. Next, I got curious about what I was eating and how I was moving my body. If you leave it up to me, I’m going to eat popcorn and champagne every day. In early 2020, I was doing a speaking engagement sponsored by Weight Watchers and they gifted me a membership. This then became my main tool for learning better eating habits, shifting my relationship with food, and ultimately losing about 80 pounds. Around the same time, I also began working with a trainer and riding a Peloton bike that a friend had gifted me after my diagnosis. While fitness classes at home and sessions with my trainer became a regular part of my weekly routine, I never expected to level up my fitness goals in any real way. I had MS, after all. Running always seemed so powerful to me, and it’d been my dream to run a marathon, but I was afraid to try. I was always the last one to cross the finish line in high school and college—a marathon was for people who were naturally gifted at the sport, or at least those who were faster than I was. And then something happened that changed everything: A girlfriend came over to my house one day in June 2025 and said “I’m going to run a half-marathon.” She signed us up on the spot and next thing I knew, I was committed to run a half-marathon. My trainer reassured me that I could do it and helped me build a plan. I started running four days a week and joined a Black running group in L.A. called Keep It Run Hundred. I quietly did a 5K in September as a dress rehearsal to learn the logistics of race day and avoid being overwhelmed by my first big event. Everywhere I traveled this summer, I trained. I ran through Prospect Park in Brooklyn, along trails in Jamaica during a wellness retreat, and on paths at Canyon Ranch, a luxury wellness resort. Pushing through the discomfort—and shifting my entire perspective Race day in October was one of the hardest days of my life. I flew to New York several days early to give my body time to adjust, knowing MS makes recovering from travel slower for me. My family came to town, we carb-loaded at Carmine’s, and my sister led a prayer the morning of the race. During the race, I felt good until I noticed people were starting to pass me. I was starting to feel so defeated and embarrassed. I had all these people waiting for me at the finish line and I kept thinking, “They’re going to tear down the finish line. I’m not going to have a finish line to cross.” I was about to give up and start walking when two things happened: I got a text from my mom that said, “Run, baby, run.” I started crying and when I looked up I saw my friend Grace, who said “I’m going to run with you the rest of the way.” She ran the final mile with me. I was one of the last people to finish and crossed the finish line in 3 hours and 44 minutes, but I never stopped moving. It was definitely one of the proudest moments of my life. Running the race did spark a bit of a relapse for me. I stayed in bed at the hotel for three days after. My body doesn’t bounce back like it used to, but even with that, I don’t regret it for a second. I mistakenly assumed MS would take things away, but in reality it’s given me a new outlook on life. MS forced me to slow down, listen, and choose myself. The half-marathon reminded me that my body is still capable, still strong, and still mine. The quote I’ve been sharing with my friends is “Hot girls can do hard things.” It’s one thing to be hot on the outside, but I want to be hot on the inside, too. Hot in spirit. Hot in strength. Hot in emotional strength. Running across that finish line with MS was proof that I am. Related: How 4 People With Multiple Sclerosis Stay Active Day-to-Day 3 People with Chronic Illnesses Share How TikTok Has Changed Their Lives The 12 Best Types of Exercise for People With Multiple Sclerosis Get more of SELF’s great service journalism delivered right to your inbox.
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