Aimee Howlett
Aimee's page
Fundraising for Motor Neurone Disease Association
Story
On March 24th I'm running the London Landmarks Half Marathon to raise money in memory of my dad Stephen Howlett, my partners nan Freda Main and also for Nigel Prettyjohns who's currently fighting Motor Neurones Disease.
**please please read, it’s so important to me for people to understand the back story of why I'm raising money for MND**
In 2009 at the age of 57 my dad’s life was about to be turned upside down by an unheard of illness called Motor Neurones Disease. He went to football to watch his team (West Ham ⚒) and on his way home went to cross the road and couldn’t physically get down from the curb to get across. He knew how to but the motor controls in his brain were preventing him from stepping down, and this was the start of a incredibly difficult journey towards the unimaginable end of my lovely dads life.
In 2009 at the age of 57 my dad’s life was about to be turned upside down by an unheard of illness called Motor Neurones Disease. He went to football to watch his team (West Ham ⚒) and on his way home went to cross the road and couldn’t physically get down from the curb to get across. He knew how to but the motor controls in his brain were preventing him from stepping down, and this was the start of a incredibly difficult journey towards the unimaginable end of my lovely dads life.
Months passed and things slowly got worse, it all began with his balance, where he would fall over indoors and outdoors, and as an incredibly proud, 6ft1 man you can imagine how frustrating this was for him. We went through multiple diagnosis’s, until one day we were given a final diagnosis of Parkinson’s, which was treatable and my dad secured a grant to allow him to go and live in a rehabilitation centre to improve his condition - finally some light at the end of the tunnel.
My dad spent 2 months there, watched multiple people come and go, until one day he fell face first on the floor during a physio session, which is when they realised something was seriously wrong. He was then transferred to Kings College hospital and two days later we was told the unthinkable news that he had Motor Neurones Disease, with a diagnosis of 12-18 months to live.
The disease takes away your ability to do things most people wouldn’t ever dream of not being able to do. From standing, to using your arms, to swallowing, chewing, breathing and even speaking. But one thing mnd doesn’t take away from you is the use of your mind, and that’s what makes it so cruel.
To say those months were hard would be an understatement, it’s impossible to describe what it’s like knowing that someone you love so much is going to die, especially in such a sad, pride-diminishing way. My dad was so brave, witty, funny and positive throughout his illness even though he was suffering and that's something I'll cherish forever. We was so lucky to be given the gift of time, even though it was so sad and heartbreaking watching someone we love so bloody much deteriorate, but it's something we'll always feel eternally grateful for, because those months really did count.
At the age of 20 and 30, me and my sister lost our dad, my mum lost her husband and many people lost a great friend. My gorgeous nephews will never meet their Grandad and this awful disease took that away from him. That's the real reason why I'm running this half marathon and raising this money, because no other family should have to live through this horrendous disease anymore. So please help me raise money towards finding a cause and a cure for Motor Neurones Disease x
