My name is Orlagh Reynolds and I am a Director at Hays Recruitment, wife to Fraser and mother to Oonagh.
On the 24th of May my world fell apart as I sat holding my husband's hand while a neurologist told us that Fraser had MND (Motor Neurone Disease) and as there is no cure, his life expectancy is now between 2 and 5 years!
Motor Neurone Disease is an incurable condition that causes the progressive degeneration of the nerve cells that control the muscles.
I always thought these things happened to other people, but now this nightmare has knocked on our door.
So why am I posting this today? Well in a very short period of time I have seen a drastic decline in my husband’s mobility. Going for a walk is no longer a thing we can do as a family, now when my daughter holds his hand it serves two purposes, one to tell her daddy she loves him and two to give him support!
I am now painfully aware of how often we take for granted the ability to go for a walk, a run or take any kind of exercise. I can't sit idly by and do nothing, I need to bring some positivity to our situation and that is where this challenge comes from.
I want to run a 100km over the month of August, a physical battle I know I will struggle with but nothing compared to what Fraser is going through.
Please join me in taking this challenge to remind each of us not to take our physical health for granted and help raise €18,000 for the IMNDA.
IMNDA have given us so much support and without them this horrible journey would have been very lonely. They are involved with funding research, supporting families with counselling, and all the logistical things that you need and don’t even realise you may need.
How can you help? Take part in this challenge and help raise money to fund the fight to find a cure for MND.
So please donate or message me to join this challenge.