In late 2019, Ms. Hines launched the platform Marti’s MS Life as a transparent way to share her journey with Multiple Sclerosis. Ms.Hines was first diagnosed with the immune disorder in 2018 after a scary incident when she woke to find the left side of her body paralyzed. After hours of being poked, prodded and med vacced to a second hospital, and MRI scan finally showed several lesions on the then 35 year old’s brain and spinal cord ultimately resulting in the unexpected diagnosis.
Since that time, Ms. Hines has experienced a roller coaster of denial and grief as she watched her body take a mind of its own, feeling non stop pain and witnessing a lack of control over her mind, limbs, vision and even her bladder. Nevertheless, Ms. Hines has persisted with God and a strong support system. In 2022 she was invited to be a part of the National MS Society’s domestic campaign which launched in Times Square and continues to air.
Marti along with her friend and fellow MS warrior Chelsea Hettrick began hosting the annual MS Brunch Fundraiser in support of the National MS Society’s efforts. Their non profit The H Collective centered around allieviating the financial burdens associated with living with MS will launch in the fall of 2024.
In Februray 2024 Marti launched her podcast Grace Through Pain: A Journey To Hope exploring strategies to cope, ways to embrace new realities, and how to thrive despite the challenges of living with a chronic illness
As a Black woman, it was quick to see there was much unknown about the disease in general, but more so there are heighted symptoms for people of color. With that in mind, Ms. Hines her voice, her position in the entertainment world of Hollywood and her newly created Marti’s MS Life platform to shed light and be a resource for other both other MS warriors and the general public to create awareness.
