Susan Raymond, age 61

When were you diagnosed with multiple sclerosis?

At age 19, in 1971. I went on to build a career as a paralegal and was forced to retire at 49.

How do you manage the condition?

Like every challenge we all face, I deal with multiple sclerosis one day at a time. I also receive support and encouragement from my husband, David.

Why did you submit this photo?

David and I have always traveled—Europe, Australia, even Fiji. The Paris trip was the first one we attempted with me in a wheelchair. This photo was taken on May 11, 2010, our first day there.

How would you describe your experience traveling in France?

This was my first time in a country without a national policy similar to our Americans with Disabilities Act. For example, buildings in France are not required to have access ramps. But every single person we met went out of their way to be helpful and kind. At the Louvre Museum, they took down the velvet rope around the Mona Lisa and we got a personal, up-close look at her.