26 miles 4 mnd
Miles and Cristian 26miles4mnd is raising money for Motor Neurone Disease Association
Story
On the 22nd of August 2021 Cristian will be running the Big Vitality Half marathon in London in support of the MNDA.
Cristian and Miles have created a book about MND...
Five years in the making. Buy the 26Miles4MND book here -
twentysixmiles.co.uk/buy-the-book
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26 Miles 4 MND is a combination of a marathon run and the creation of a photographic book to raise funds and awareness for the MND Association - the only National charity in England, Wales and Northern Ireland focused on improving access to care, research and campaigning for those people living with or affected by MND.
In 2013 editorial photographer Cristian Barnett heard that his close friend Miles Pilling had been diagnosed with motor neurone disease (or MND).
Not knowing anything about MND Cristian was shocked to discover most people die within 3 years of diagnosis. His friend Miles was one of the "lucky" few who have a slowly developing variant. Even so, he faces the possibility of gradually becoming paralysed, losing his voice and being locked in a failing body with a fully functioning mind.
Miles had spent nearly all his working life as a television news cameraman, director and journalist but in April 2014 was forced to give up his career because of disability caused by MND.
Soon afterwards Cristian and Miles began a photographic project to raise awareness of motor neurone disease - Photographing and interviewing 26 people who's lives have been affected in diverse ways by MND. To make it memorable, against his better judgement, Miles was persuaded to be in each of the portraits alongside the main subject too. Cristian would also, in one way or another, complete a marathon - Hence the name 26 "Miles" 4 MND!
Thinking it would take under a year, five years later Cristian and Miles have travelled the length and breadth of England and into Scotland, taking portraits and interviewing more than 26 people. From people living with the condition to researchers working towards treatments, nurses, volunteers, carers and even a puppeteer working on a show about a man with MND.
You'll also find two or three household names amongst the photos including pop superstar Kim Wilde.
The resulting stories and photographs were made into a book to coincide with the 40th anniversary of the Motor Neurone Disease Association in October 2019. Twenty copies were initially made.
It was then officially published in July 2020 with copies now available for purchase online.
You can buy a copy here - twentysixmiles.co.uk
Every person has a 1 in 300 lifetime risk of developing MND. It still has no effective treatment and no cure. It devastates lives.
All the portraits and edited interviews can be seen on the 26 Miles 4 MND Instagram feed instagram.com/26miles4mnd
You can also scroll through our blog - twentysixmiles.co.uk/updates to see how the project has developed and grown.