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Jack Osbourne (the 26-year-old former reality star and son of Ozzy and Sharon) has been diagnosed with multiple sclerosis (MS).
The former star of MTV’s “The Osbournes” told People magazine in an interview that he was diagnosed with the disease just two weeks after he welcomed the birth of his first child with fiancee Lisa Stelly – CBS News reported.
“I was just angry and frustrated and kept thinking, ‘Why now?’” Osbourne, said.
Dr. Karen Blitz-Shabbir, director of the North Shore-LIJ MS Care Center at Glen Cove Hospital in Glen Cove, N.Y., told HealthPop that the peak time a person is diagnosed with MS is in fact between the ages of 20 and 30.
“It is the most common, chronic, neurodegenerative condition affecting young people” – she explained.
But the disease can also be diagnosed in children as young as 10 and in seniors. Blitz-Shabbir (who is not involved in Osbourne’s care) said the disease strikes more women than men – in about a two to one ratio – and affects about 400.000 people in the United States.
Multiple sclerosis affects each person differently – according to the National Multiple Sclerosis Society. The chronic disease attacks the central nervous system, resulting in symptoms that range from mild numbness in the limbs to more severe symptoms like paralysis or loss of vision, depending on the severity of the disease and the areas of the brain it affects.

Jack Osbourne.

While Osbourne is younger than the average patient who is newly diagnosed with MS, it is not by much. The average age at which a patient is diagnosed is 37.
Multiple sclerosis is an autoimmune disease that affects the brain and spinal cord. The disease attacks the myelin sheath, a protective covering that surrounds nerve cells, and approximately 400.000 Americans have MS – according to the National MS Society. About 200 people are newly diagnosed each week.
While the disease is degenerative, symptoms, which affect the muscles, bowel function, vision, nerve and sexual function and personality, can vary and range greatly in severity.
Because of the typical early onset of the disease, Osbourne, and many other newly diagnosed MS patients, are at the threshold of many life decisions, including career, marriage and children.
“People have spent their entire life up until the point of diagnosis imagining their life in a certain way, they have to interpret how they’re going to let go of that picture and how they see themselves, and fit that new information into the sense of who they are” – said Rosalind Kalb, a clinical psychologist and director of the Professional Resource Center at the National Multiple Sclerosis Society. “It’s a grieving process, and you can’t move ahead on how you’re going to live with MS until you spend a little time with the loss of a life without MS.”
While the diagnosis can throw one’s life, particularly a young person’s life that isn’t fully settled, into disarray, patients like Osbourne should not jump to any conclusions about how the disease will run its course – said Kalb.
“It’s important for patients not to rush out and quit their jobs or break up relationships because they may be able to live a full life with manageable symptoms” – Kalb said.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YLknGsO3raI

Sharon Osbourne breaks down in tears on The Talk hours after son Jack reveals MS diagnosis.
She is the feisty matriarch of the Osbourne family. But mother Sharon Osbourne showed her tender side as she failed to contain her emotions following the news that son Jack (26) has been diagnosed with Multiple Sclerosis.
Appearing in her regular slot as one of the hosts of CBS daytime show The Talk, the 59-year-old couldn’t hold back her tears
When responding to her son Jack Osbourne’s announcement that he has multiple sclerosis, Sharon could hardly get any words out.
“He’s great – he’s doing really, really good and I want to thank everyone for all their texts and goodwill and love they send to us” – she said after a long pause to compose herself.
Sharon’s co-hosts were clearly saddened as well, with Julie Chen choking up at Sharon’s emotional message.
Co-host Julie Chen told Sharon that Jack is “an amazing guy, he’s very courageous” and asked, “What else do you want say Mrs. O?”
“Just thank you to everyone for all their good wishes” – said Sharon, who herself battled cancer.
“It’s been amazing … for Jack ’cause I really believe that vibes of prayer help.”
And almost chastising herself for her understandable outpouring of emotion she added: “And what I’m doing right now is not helping because I’m just feeling sorry for myself, and that is no good.”
She continued: “So we just have to think positively and get on with this show that we love.”
She will need to prepare herself for Wednsesday show, as Sharon revealed Jack will appear on The Talk to discuss his diagnosis.
The father-of-one discovered he had multiple sclerosis after losing 60 per cent of vision in his right eye, and speaking to Hello! magazine, he told of his shock at the diagnosis but said he is refusing to let it make him feel downbeat.
He said: “While I was waiting for the final results, I got really, really angry.”
“Then I got really sad for about two days, and after that I realised, being angry and upset is not going to do anything at this point – if anything it’s only going to make it worse.”
“Adapt and overcome’ is my new motto.”