Lara Ewen Faces the Music

Living with MS, a budding singer-songwriter finds the only thing more frustrating than the incurable disease is the unforgiving treatment.

Photos by Emily Raw

Songwriter Lara Ewen was once told that she "cursed like the Devil's whore." It was meant as a compliment. In swearing or in song, Ewen's wordplay wields a visceral punch. In 2008, Ewen had plenty to curse about: after some mysterious tingling and numbness in her extremities landed her in the hospital, she was diagnosed with multiple sclerosis.