Walters has worked in tourism for over two decades, traveling around Oregon.
Walters and her husband in Belize in 2023.

Kerrie Walters has her sights set on a cave tubing tour for her upcoming trip to Belize. She's looking forward to floating through the ancient limestone cave system past ancient Mayan archaeological sites and waterfalls. Just a few years ago, she would never have thought she could tackle such an activity because of her medical condition.

Walters, 57, was diagnosed with multiple sclerosis, or MS, at 21, which affects her gait and balance, requiring her to use a walking stick. She is one of nearly a million Americans living with MS, a central nervous system autoimmune disease that affects the brain, spinal cord and optic nerves, according to the National Multiple Sclerosis Society. Those with MS experience symptoms differently, but fatigue, mobility issues, pain and numbness are often common.

The Oregon resident credits much of her improved mobility to a treatment she started in 2022, a portable neuromodulation stimulator (PoNS) device that uses electrical pulses to repair elements in her brain affected by MS – she was one of the first people in Oregon to use it. "Because I used to be active and then I couldn't be for a while, and now I can be, I just gotta do some of these things," Walters told USA TODAY.

Even before PoNS helped unlock more possibilities for her to be active, Walters didn't let her MS hinder her passion for travel. She's spent most of her career working in the tourism industry in Oregon. As a traveler, she's visited destinations such as Hawaii and Mexico, especially loving trips out in nature.

Her travels may require more advanced planning to ensure she can be accommodated and find suitable places to rest, but she said it's always worth it. "We're fortunate that we can travel and I have a lot of friends that do way more, but I just think it's really important for people to be out there trying to experience different things and getting out of your comfort zone a little bit," Walters added.

Getting diagnosed with MS

Around the time Walters was in her senior year at Oregon State University, she began experiencing tingling in her feet and legs along with numbness in her face. Following a recommendation by a friend's mother, Walters went to a neurologist who gave her an early diagnosis of MS.

Given the unpredictability of MS, Walters has gone through periods of few symptoms to more difficulty walking. When she graduated in the late '80s, she started working for hotels and later, tourism boards in Oregon – but kept her MS a secret. "I didn't want people to think I was weak or not able to do my job, so I didn't talk about it for years," she said.

At the time, Walters discovered a deep love of travel. After college, her grandmother gifted her and her siblings some money, and Walters embarked on a major backpacking trip through Europe with friends while her MS symptoms were still nascent and not impacting her mobility yet. "My sister paid off debt. My brother saved it. So that's kind of who we are, you know?" Walters said. "That really was fun, just getting out there and seeing more of the world, right?" They stayed in hostels, saw the Berlin Wall right before it fell, and met people from around the world – they still talk about the trip to this day.

'My world is different'

Balancing her MS with traveling – both for pleasure and work – can be challenging. There have been moments where she's had to pass up on activities, such as hiking with her husband. "My world is different," she said. "Things like being in the ocean are really calming, but when you're standing there trying to get out, (people) just don't think about things that are so easy (for others)."

After years of living with and traveling while managing MS, Walters compares it to a phone battery. "You have to decide kind of your priorities," she said. She might call the hotel in advance to get a room close to an elevator so she's not expending energy walking down hallways to go on activities instead, or carving out intentional resting time. "Figure out how to participate in your life that works for you, because that's all we can do," she added.

At other times, the travel industry's historical lack of accessibility has felt limiting – even though she thinks there have been major strides in becoming more inclusive. She has previously faced challenges trying to fly with a scooter – an obstacle many air passengers with disabilities encounter. Mobility devices are known to get damaged when flying, placing a significant burden on their owners to find a replacement or get them repaired.

With the help of her PoNS treatment, she feels empowered to push herself when she can, such as on a guided tour of the cenotes in Mexico, where she had to navigate the slippery ground. On her last trip to Belize in 2023, she and her husband took a boat for a gentle jungle hike. The well-intentioned guide was unsure of her going, but Walters, with a walking stick in hand, savors the memories of watching the howling monkeys in the tree canopy.

"I can't do everything, but there's a lot more we can do together," she said, such as golfing again. Next up on her travel bucket list? An adventure to Costa Rica.

Travel tips

Here are some travel tips for those living with MS, according to the National Multiple Sclerosis Society:

  • Bring extra medication in your carry-on in case of unexpected flight delays and cancellations.
  • Plan ahead. Arranging assistance ahead of time at the airport can help travelers save energy on travel days.
  • Avoid the heat. According to the organization, heat and fatigue can exacerbate symptoms or cause a temporary flare-up. Therefore, travelers may want to plan activities for cooler days or pack a cooling vest.

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: She has MS. She's chasing bucket-list adventures worldwide.

Reporting by Kathleen Wong, USA TODAY / USA TODAY

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