The Durham and Darlington Group of the Motor Neurone Disease (MND) Association has launched an emergency appeal for donations to maintain their vital support for people living with MND, a terminal illness.

Local people regularly turn to the Durham and Darlington Group in times of crisis because of the impact that MND has upon their daily lives.

Our Group supports those living with MND by providing grants to help them with much needed equipment or adaptations to their property, to help them maintain social interaction through the provision of technological devices or communication aids, or enable them to access community resources through help with taxi fares and train tickets to visit family members. We also provide grants to help improve quality of life and these vary from support to go fishing to a trip to a concert or the theatre.  

We also support those affected by MND, particularly carers who provide much needed support, so that they get a few hours of relaxation and pampered, whether through a spa day or getting their hair done. We also help to minimise the affects of MND upon children through the provision of our children and young persons grants and these might be used for dance lessons or a holiday. 

Our Group also funds our local Association Visitors who provide a valuable befriending service and emotional support to those needing someone to talk with, in addition to our monthly Support Meetings which allow vital and supportive interactions for our local MND community.

As the effects of Coronavirus and Lockdown impact our daily lives, we understand why our Groups funding is so vital to those who experience on a daily basis the restrictions from living with MND.

Many vital fundraising events have been postponed or cancelled as result of the current pandemic and our volunteers at the Durham and Darlington Group are determined to find other ways to raise money to enable us to continue supporting local people with this devastating illness. 

MND is a fatal, rapidly progressing disease which affects the brain and spinal cord. It attacks the nerves that control movement and eventually leaves people unable to move, communicate or breathe. It kills a third of people within a year of diagnosis and half within two years. There is no cure.