People with multiple sclerosis (MS) have thanked Selma Blair for proudly using a cane at the Vanity Fair Oscar party in her first red carpet appearance since her diagnosis.
The star, who was diagnosed with MS in October, was greeted by cheers from the crowd, at one point telling onlookers: “It took so much to come out here.”
On Twitter, people who’ve been diagnosed with MS – which can cause fatigue, mobility problems and muscle spasms – praised Blair for showing she is not defined by the illness.
[Read More: What Is Multiple Sclerosis?]
Others who have loved ones with MS thanked Blair for raising awareness of the illness.
But some did highlight that while the praise directed at Blair is a positive step, there is still a lot of stigma facing regular people with multiple sclerosis.