A warrior is someone who is “engaged or experienced in warfare” (m-w.com).

According to The National Multiple Sclerosis (MS) Society, MS is “an unpredictable disease of the central nervous system that disrupts the flow of information within the brain, and between the brain and body.” In other words, those with MS have a battle happening in their body that they must fight.

MS effects almost one million people in the United States—including my sister, AJ. Each case of MS varies in severity, but no matter what the disease dishes out, those who fight it are warriors.

This blanket was born out of a desire to honor my sister and to help raise money toward finding a cure.

My sister and I are exactly 2 years and 8 days apart. She’s older. I’m younger. We’ve played a lot of roles throughout our lives: playmates, friends, enemies (two girls close in age will ultimately fight in high school), friends again.

We are sisters. That means we love each other even when we disagree. It means that we will protect each other no matter what. It means that if one of us is in a battle, the other is required to fight.

But I can’t join my sister her fight against Multiple Sclerosis. I don’t know what the symptoms are like or what it means for her day-to-day life. I don’t have to take medicine to keep the disease in check or get my head MRI-ed to check for lesions on my brain.

She is the warrior. The fight is not mine.

Or is it?

I honestly didn’t think that there was anything I could do to help her. I wasn’t standing up beside her.

But I am joining the fight in my own way. There is something I can do. I can crochet. I can write patterns.

AJ’s MS Warrior Blanket Pattern is my weapon. For every one of these patterns I sell, I will donate $3 to The National Multiple Sclerosis Society. Hopefully in this way, we will be able to raise more toward the cause than I would be able to donate alone.

The pattern can be purchased here.

If you’d like to donate to The National MS Society, you can do so here.