Rania has a life many dream of… But she’s been hiding a devastating secret

At first glance, Rania Melhem seemed to have it all – she had just finished a university degree, landed her dream job and married the love of her life. 

But behind closed doors, the mum-of-two was hiding a devastating secret: she had been silently battling multiple sclerosis for years after being diagnosed at age 19. 

From the outside, Rania seemed perfectly fine – but she was suffering from nerve pain, muscle spasms, constant severe pins and needles, and blurred vision.

Beneath her calm exterior, a silent storm raged inside her body – one she fought fiercely to keep hidden. The early signs were subtle, yet relentless.

‘My blood pressure would drop, and then I would end up fainting. My vision would blur and I’d start to feel a tingling sense in my fingers,’ Rania, now 35, told FEMAIL. 

The dizzy spells struck without warning, shaking the foundations of her everyday life.

‘I was endlessly tired. It was my first year of university so I had a job – but I’d fall asleep on the train and miss my stop,’ she explained.

Before her diagnosis, the unpredictability of her symptoms forced her into isolation – and slowly, her world grew smaller. Despite her growing fears, getting answers was anything but straightforward.

‘My GP refused to give me a brain scan because my sister had been diagnosed with multiple sclerosis (MS) years prior and he didn’t believe it could happen twice in one family,’ she recalled. 

At first glance, Rania Melhem seemed to have it all – she had just finished a university degree, landed her dream job and married the love of her life

But the truth was revealed after Rania’s mother took her to another GP and pushed for a scan: she also had multiple sclerosis, a chronic neurological condition that would alter the course of her life.

For many years, Rania kept her diagnosis to herself, sharing it only with her closest family and a few trusted friends.

‘For probably the first five years, I didn’t talk about it much,’ she explained.

At the time, she struggled to find the words to describe what she was going through. 

Though, no one would ever suspect she was struggling with an illness. She was attending university, working, and living a life that looked no different from any other young woman her age.

But she was grappling with a daily reality that was far more complex and exhausting.

During those early years, the mental and physical toll of the illness was at its most difficult.

‘That was probably the time when, mentally, I was the worst,’ Rania recalled.

The fatigue was overwhelming, and her body often betrayed her in unpredictable ways – her blood pressure would drop suddenly, causing her to faint without warning.

Rania seemed like any other vibrant 19-year-old – full of ambition, laughter, and the kind of bright future that makes you believe anything is possible (picture of Rania with her nephew around the time her symptoms started)

From the outside, Rania seemed perfectly fine – but she was suffering from nerve pain, muscle spasms, constant severe pins and needles, and blurred vision

Navigating social situations was a challenge, especially when friends didn’t understand what multiple sclerosis was or how to react when she became unwell.

In those moments, Rania felt vulnerable and isolated. She relied heavily on her family for support and poured much of her energy into her studies, finding comfort and focus in academia.

Looking back, Rania reflects on that period as one of her deepest personal struggles, – but also a time of profound introspection.

The challenges she faced forced her to reconsider what truly mattered in life and to cherish the people who stood by her side. It was during this time she deepened her relationship with her now-husband – a connection that brought hope and stability amid uncertainty.

Despite the hardships, she graduated among the top students in her state, a testament to her resilience and determination.

Yet to the outside world, she was simply ‘fine,’ masking the invisible illness she fought every day.

One of the hardest aspects of living with MS, Rania says, is the invisibility of the disease.

‘You can look completely fine on the outside, and no one realises what’s happening inside,’ she said.

But beneath her calm exterior was a silent storm raging inside her body, one she fought fiercely to keep hidden. The early signs were subtle, yet relentless

The damage MS causes to the brain and spinal cord, along with the variety of symptoms it produces, often remain unseen by others.

Over time, Rania learned to hide the pain and fatigue behind a practiced smile.

‘You get really good at pretending everything is okay,’ she explained.

Even now, after nearly two decades, few people truly know how she feels beneath the surface.

The turning point for Rania came after she married and moved out of her family home. 

For the first time, she faced the full weight of managing her condition independently. 

While living with her parents, much of the physical burden had been shared – from cooking and cleaning to practical everyday tasks – allowing her to conserve energy for work and recovery.

But once she was responsible for running her own household, juggling a full-time job, and managing her symptoms alone, the exhaustion became overwhelming. It was then she realised she needed to ask for help.

At 25, Rania reached out to MS Plus, an organisation offering support and services to people living with MS.

Through them, she connected with an occupational therapist who assessed her needs and helped put practical measures in place.

She was able to access cleaning services to reduce her fatigue, physiotherapy to manage pain, and ongoing emotional support.

The turning point for Rania came after she married and moved out of her family home

Despite the challenges, Rania clings to the things that bring her joy. Music, once a passion she shared on stage, became a private refuge after MS affected her swallowing

The therapist also encouraged her to use writing as a form of therapy, recognising how important it was for Rania to express her experience.

What began as private journaling soon evolved into a blog, where Rania shared her journey under the alias ‘Miss Anonymous.’

Despite the challenges, Rania clings to the things that bring her joy. Music, once a passion she shared on stage, became a private refuge since MS affected her swallowing.

‘I used to sing a lot, but the MS impacted my swallowing, and it was making me swallow a lot slower. So while I was singing, sometimes I would choke because I couldn’t swallow and get the words out in time.’

Though she stopped performing publicly, she still sings every day, finding comfort in the melodies that carry her through the hardest days.

Her story is also one of family bonds – her older sister Marie was diagnosed with MS at 27, facing similar struggles at a time when understanding of the disease was far more limited.

‘Back then, MS wasn’t something many people knew about like it is now,’ she said. 

Though they have undergone similar treatments, the illness manifests differently for each of the sisters.

‘We both have different side effects and different symptoms,’ Rania said. 

Looking back, Rania remembers the protective cocoon her parents created during those early years.

‘I didn’t really know what was going on because I was only 13, and I think our parents used to really try to protect us from anything bad that was happening,’ she said.

While living with her parents, much of the physical burden had been shared – from cooking and cleaning to practical everyday tasks – allowing her to conserve energy for work and recovery

Though MS remains a daily challenge, Rania credits her family for giving her the strength to keep going (pictured with her daughter and baby son)

Today, Rania urges Aussies to offer practical and emotional support to those living with MS.

‘Making them a meal, helping with the kids if they have them, taking them for a few hours so they can get something done, or have a rest. Helping them clean if they’ll let you – I hate people cleaning my house, but it’s definitely something that would be super helpful,’ she said.

She encourages friends and family to connect with MS Plus and participate in community events.

‘It’s a beautiful walk around Albert Park, and it’s really good to reflect and be together as a community of people who have MS, their families, their carers, their kids, their loved ones, to really feel like you’re in it together,’ Rania said. 

Though MS remains a daily challenge, Rania credits her family for giving her the strength to keep going.

‘We’re lucky to have our mum and dad, who always taught us to be strong, and to get up every time you fall,’ she said.

Their love and resilience remain her guiding light through the uncertainty.

In closing, Rania offers a heartfelt tribute: ‘This is dedicated to my dad, who passed away recently. Thank you for always giving us the strength and the courage to keep going even when things were difficult.’

Rania is an ambassador for MS Walk Run + Roll – the national fundraiser supporting those living with Multiple Sclerosis. 

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