Living with MS: The Julie Roberts Story

Singing Through the Storms
Country music star Julie Roberts is no stranger to life’s challenges. In the midst of a rising music career, she received a life-changing diagnosis: multiple sclerosis (MS). For any performer, especially one in the spotlight, such news could be devastating. At first, Julie worried about how people would react if they knew. But she chose not to let fear or illness define her. Instead, she decided: “I don’t have to give up on my dreams.”
The Rocket City Multiple Sclerosis Support Group had the privilege of hearing Julie speak in 2014. Since then, her journey has had ups and downs, but she remains the embodiment of strength, positivity, and resilience.
Tackling Multiple Sclerosis
Julie was officially diagnosed with MS while recording her second album, 2006's Men and Mascara. But she suspected something was wrong much earlier. After her debut album, she began experiencing troubling symptoms on tour. “I’d be in the middle of a show and couldn’t hold my microphone anymore,” she recalled. “I would get these electric shocks that started at the back of my head and spread across my scalp.” She also described frightening episodes of blurry vision and losing the ability to see what she was writing when signing autographs. Even lifting weights at the gym became impossible. Eventually, a brain MRI revealed 11 lesions — confirming her MS diagnosis. “Accepting my diagnosis was the hardest part of my MS journey,” she shared. “But doing so helped me retake control of my life.”
Julie initially declined medication, choosing instead to focus on diet and exercise. But her condition progressed. A later scan showed 12 lesions. “For years, I was in denial,” she admitted. “I thought if I ignored it, maybe it would go away.” That changed after the devastating Nashville flood of 2010. Julie, her mother, and sister lost their home and nearly all their possessions. “We were rescued by boat,” she said. “That experience woke me up. I realized material things can be replaced, but life and health are precious.”
The trauma of the flood triggered a relapse, and Julie could no longer ignore her MS. She decided to take charge, working closely with her neurologist to find a disease-modifying therapy while continuing to care for herself through diet, fitness, and faith. “I believe God gave me another chance with that flood rescue. I wasn’t going to waste it. I wanted to prove MS wouldn’t define me — and that dreams are still possible.” And she did just that.
New Challenges
In 2019, Julie married Matt Baugher. In 2021, they welcomed their son, Jackson. But her journey wasn't over. In 2022, new health issues emerged. “It felt like every time I ate, I would throw up,” she said. By October, her weight dropped to 99 lbs. Desperate, she called her mother at 2 a.m. and headed to the ER.
After testing, Julie was diagnosed with celiac disease — an autoimmune disorder triggered by gluten that damages the small intestine and makes it difficult to absorb nutrients. While the diagnosis brought some relief, it also reignited her MS symptoms, including a new and terrifying development: optic neuritis. “Not being able to see out of one eye truly scared me,” she said. Julie returned to her neurologist and began a new MS therapy. “Thankfully, there are so many new treatment options now,” she noted. “We found one that works for me. And hopefully, if I have a celiac flare in the future, it won’t trigger my MS again.”
Never Give Up
Now, she manages celiac disease with a gluten-free lifestyle, has gained back 15 pounds, and is lifting heavy weights at the gym again. “The healing has begun,” Julie says. “I feel great and I’m so excited to be back on stage.” In April 2023, during a show at The Grouse Room in Lafayette, Louisiana, Julie received a surprise: a gold record plaque celebrating her 2004 hit single Break Down Here. “I’ll never get tired of singing that song,” she said. “It means so much to me — and to so many others.”
Despite all life has thrown her way, Julie Roberts continues to stand tall — with courage, faith, and an unshakable belief in her dreams. Through MS, celiac disease, motherhood, and music, she shows the world what strength truly looks like.