I signed myself up for Born Survivor in May and if I'm honest I had no idea that I had put myself up for something so brutal. As this will test me both body and mind I have decided to set a fundraiser and I have the perfect person in mind :)  

His Name is Cliff Ridge, he's my oldest friends Dad, He's set me on the straight and narrow and made me see things aren't all bad!! Well when I read this story from his Daughter below, I now realize he was right we all take for granted how we feel and forget to show.       

Life is cruel and Multiple Sclerosis has taken over!!!

I am taking up the challenge of running Born survivor to raise as much as I can towards MS and hopefully one day find a cure for this awful Disease....

My target is set at £500 but I would love if we could double that.  
 

I want everyone to read this story, as I for one cannot imagine the pain they are going though as a family, yet they have the strength to pull together and run the Great Manchester Run for MS !!!

Sammie’s dad was diagnosed with MS in 2009 when he suffered a stroke, it was during the MRI scan to confirm the stroke that a lesion on his brain was discovered leading to a diagnosis of Multiple Sclerosis shortly after.
The disease was under control until about 3 years ago when walking became a problem, then he began having falls and needed a walking stick to help with his balance.
He was admitted to the rehabilitation ward at Macclesfield hospital in March 2014 where we hoped intense physio therapy and a course of steroids would keep the MS at bay for a while unfortunately this was not the case and after a 2 month stay in hospital we were told dad would need carers to assist him at home with his day to day life.
A while later after a check-up with his consultant at Salford Royal the doctor decided to admit him for clinical trials, again with hopes that the progression of the disease would be stopped or even reversed. After lots of discussions we were told that the MS was too advanced and any treatment available would not be benefit dad in anyway, again he was sent home.
By this point dad's speech and swallowing was deteriorating and he was put on a mashed diet and needed thickened fluids to prevent aspiration pneumonia. A long term catheter was fitted after weekly admissions to the hospital with chest infections water infections and kidney damage. Each admission was as scary as the last as there was always the possibility that his body would become immune to antibiotics, dad is now bed bound and has lost the ability to feed himself, wash himself, hold a conversation (albeit he tries) and is in pain from muscle spasms and reduced muscle function 24 hours a day seven days a week.
On top of everything the MS has now led to a bone disease called osteoporosis and dad currently has a broken hip bone which doctors will not operate on as the risks outweigh any benefit. He is now fed through a tube which is inserted into his stomach to make sure he gets the nutrients he needs.
If there was a cure for Primary Progressive MS or even a better understanding then all of the above!