‘This is something that, after 10 years, I never thought would be possible’
A man who once struggled to walk without getting tired is now competing in bodybuilding competitions. Scott McPhillimy, 37, was diagnosed with MS at the age of 26, and thought his wife, Suzanne, would need to care for him due to the degenerative condition.
In 2022, Scott travelled to Mexico for a four-week course of radical treatment aimed at preventing his MS from getting any worse. The treatment, called haematopoietic stem cell transplantation (HSCT), aims to wipe out and regrow the immune system using stem cells and costs £45,000.
Scott said: “For me, it was uncomfortable, feeling nauseous and dizzy, but I know some of the other patients were really unwell – I had bad days, but I seemed to bounce back. They also give you an injection which causes bone pain, you can’t adjust yourself because every time you move another part of your body would hurt.”
Four years later, Scott said that his MS symptoms have not progressed, and he has been able to come off medication. He added that his MRI scans have been clear, and one of them showed reduced damage.
HSCT is not offered in Scotland but can be commissioned on the NHS in England in extreme cases. Read more about it here.
The civil servant from East Kilbride, Scotland, said: “It hasn’t cured me, that wasn’t my intention. I wanted to draw a line under my MS, and that is what has happened. I no longer require my MS medication, which I was supposed to be on for life.”
“I struggled with fatigue, cognitive fog, and weakness on my right side. All of those symptoms are still there in some capacity, but they are marginally better.
“The brain fog has improved, which has allowed me to progress in my career, and I can walk further without getting tired. This is something that, after 10 years, I never thought would be possible.”
Despite his own health improvements, Scott’s wife Suzanne declined after a brain aneurysm in 2020 left her in a wheelchair and struggling with communication. She was moved into a home where she can receive 24-hour care in 2024.
After that, Scott said he struggled with his purpose, so he threw himself into fitness. Scott said: “A huge amount of time was dedicated to looking after Suzanne, and then there was this huge void in my life. I needed to fill that void, and I did so through fitness.”
In 2025, Scott said he achieved “photoshoot condition” and went to watch his PT Chris in a bodybuilding competition and felt inspired. From that moment, Scott was also determined to compete.
Scott did four to five strength sessions a week, five cardio sessions, and 12,000 to 15,000 steps a day to achieve his ideal look.
He first performed at the Physical Culture Association show on March 29 and April 5, finishing in first place in the mixed disability category. Then, on April 19, Scott performed a routine at the Granite City Classic competition to Tattoo by Loreen, one of Suzanne’s favourite artists.
He had hoped to bring Suzanne on stage, but she wasn’t able to make it, so he brought a photo of her on when he dedicated the routine to her. Scott said: “Our first dance at our wedding was to a song by Loreen, so there is that meaning there, and the lyrics are beautiful.”
Disclaimer : This story is auto aggregated by a computer programme and has not been created or edited by DOWNTHENEWS. Publisher: www.dailyrecord.co.uk
