Cheryl Crider’s kids affectionately referred to her as a ‘Supermom’. She was always on top of everything, devoted to her family and her job as a nurse at Cullman Regional Medical Center. She loved working in the yard, helping in the nursery at Baldwin Heights Baptist Church (where her husband, Jeff, has been minister of music for the past 27 years), and was always interested in whatever activities her children were involved in at the time.

Following her graduation from Cold Springs High School in 1983, where she was valedictorian, Cheryl attended nursing school at Wallace State Community College (WSCC). She and Jeff were married in 1985. When they started having children, Cheryl made it a priority to take one year off to bond with each baby. They moved into Cullman, where all three of their children, Chase, Claire, and Kate, attended Cullman High School. Kate will graduate this spring.

Chase attained a degree in Business Management with a minor in Marketing from WSCC and Athens State University, graduating Cum Laude. He is presently employed as a banker at Wells Fargo Bank.

Claire decided while in college to follow in her mother’s footsteps and pursue a career in the medical field.

Kate is still testing the water, looking for a perfect fit for her life. She is involved in Cullman High School’s National Honors Society, Spanish National Honors Society, Key Club, Leo Club, and Future Business Leaders of America, among others. Kate is highly interested in early childhood education.

Chase recalls when his mom out-shot him on a sheet range at his grandparent’s home. One Sunday, the whole family went to visit Jeff’s parents, and Chase thought he would have the best score since he practiced regularly, but much to his chagrin, he lost to his mom, who had never shot clay targets before.

“She blew everyone out of the water,” laughed Chase. “She shot ten out of ten.”

Claire fondly recalls the times the family often spent at the beach. “I loved when Mom would play with us in the water  and help us look for shells. She could always spot sea creatures for us to look at. She truly made our vacations something special.”

Kate remembers her mom reading to her every night before bed. “Even when she’d had a long exhausting day at work, then come home to cleaning, cooking and caring for three children, she would always stop what she was doing to read me that bedtime story, whenever I asked,” said Kate. “That just goes to show you how caring and selfless she has always been.”

Up until 2009, the Crider’s would each tell you that they were a typical family, doing all of the things that most families do, and for the most part, depending on their ‘Supermom’ to handle any crisis – from a lost text book to a broken heart.

But then the unthinkable happened…

Cheryl, who was working at Medical Day at the time, began exhibiting confusing symptoms. Dizziness, inability to concentrate, a strange ‘icy/burning’ sensation all over her body, and an overwhelming fatigue that surpassed anything she had ever experienced.

“As a nurse, I knew just enough to be scared, but had no in-depth knowledge of what was happening to me,” said Cheryl.

She wondered if it could have been Multiple Sclerosis (MS), and when her legs seemed to be on fire after walking up some stairs, Jeff demanded that she see a doctor. Within about a month she saw a few doctors, and was given an MRI, which showed a multitude of lesions on her brain and spinal cord caused by MS. “It was almost a relief to finally have a diagnosis so that I could start treatments,” said Cheryl.

Cheryl sees Dr. Chris LaGanke at North Central Neurology. He referred to her case as an “explosive onset”. The type of MS which Cheryl has is known as relapsing/remitting tumefactive multiple sclerosis. This progressive disease causes damage to the central nervous system, manifested in outward and silent symptoms. Although there is no cure for MS, many treatments are available that can help slow progression of the disease.

According to online sites about the disease, relapsing MS is thought to be an autoimmune disease, which means that instead of defending the body against, harmful invaders (such as viruses or bacteria), the immune system attacks its own tissues and cells.

Specifically, MS affects the cells of the central nervous system (CNS). The brain contains nerve cells called neurons.  The nerve fibers are protected and insulated by what is called the myelin sheath. The myelin helps neurons send electrical signals to and from the brain, telling the body what to do.

 MS is thought to affect more than two million people across the globe. About 85 percent of those are diagnosed with relapsing-remitting MS, the most common form of the disease. It is about two to three times more common in women than in men. An MS diagnosis generally occurs between 20 and 50 years of age, but it can also happen when you’re younger or older. Only 1 in about 2 million people will be diagnosed with tumefactive MS like Cheryl has.

Almost overnight things in the Crider household changed dramatically. Although Claire was still in high school, she had to take on much more responsibility at home than she was accustomed to.

With Kate not yet driving, the task of chauffeur became Claire’s. Chase was very busy in college where she took classes all day, and worked at night. Chase pitched in by working in the yard, a task that Cheryl had always enjoyed doing herself.

“Five years ago, the abbreviation MS was not commonplace in my vocabulary,” said Claire. “That soon changed when the neurologist told us that mom had over forty lesions on her brain and spinal cord. My super-mom was suddenly and severely debilitated.”

 As the disease worsened, first Claire, and now Kate, had to assume many tasks that they took for granted in the past, such as meal preparation, laundry, dish washing, and grocery shopping. Claire now returns home on weekends to help. “As a result, I have been able to see a side of MS that is not depicted in a textbook,” she said. “From the outside looking in, this seems very hard. But this is our life, and we just have to make the best of it day by day” said Claire realistically.

Even with all of this going on in her young life, Claire was inspired by observing Cheryl’s courageous battle with Multiple Sclerosis, and was accepted to the University of Alabama School of Medicine (Class of 2019). “Watching the disease turn her supermom into someone severely debilitated, a flame of interest was ignited in Claire to pursue a bachelor’s degree in Neuroscience,” said her proud dad.  

Claire impressively gained acceptance into the highly selective Undergraduate Neuroscience Program at UAB in 2011, and graduated with a Bachelor of Science in Neuroscience with minors in Chemistry, Biology, and Psychology in April 2015. She graduated Summa Cum Laude, maintaining a 4.0 from her freshman through her senior years.    

In a time when it would have been easy to have persuaded Claire that she was needed at home, her parents encouraged her to pursue her education. Although she was worried about her mother’s health, she also knew that she had a mission, a purpose in life. “She was too bright to hold back,” said her mother, again, as when her children were smaller, putting them first before her own needs.  

“I think that as parents we want to raise our children to be independent so that when they have the opportunity to leave home, they not only leave, but they thrive,” said Cheryl. “They’re not only testing their skills, but ours as well.”

 “Now that I am grown, I realize how lucky I was to have a mom who woke up and went to work at 4:30 a.m. every morning so that she could pick us up from school,” said Claire. “I cherish the afternoons I was able to spend with her as a child; I loved when we would come home to find she had a special snack for us”. The family continues to make wonderful memories, perhaps they are even more special because the disease causes them to appreciate every moment they have together.   

“Through my mother’s example, I have learned to put others before myself and to serve without recognition. She taught me to be encouraging, patient, and willing to compromise.  From her, I have learned to make sacrifices, and help someone even when I don’t feel like I have the time to do so. She has always said, “If you’re going to do something, do it right.” This is a saying that has stayed with me throughout my college career, encouraging me to truly do my best in each and every course I took.”