Me, my brother Nick and my 2 friends Lucy and Sol are running the Cardiff half marathon in October in memory of my wonderful mum who sadly passed away from motor neurone disease in May 2011.

 

I knew very little about motor neurone disease until January 2011 when we were told my mum may have it. After 2 months of tests and scans we were finally told the heartbreaking news that it was motor neurone disease. Motor neurone disease is a progressive disease that attacks the upper and lower motor neurones. Degeneration of the motor neurones leads to weakness and wasting of muscles, causing increasing loss of mobility in the limbs, and difficulties with speech, swallowing and breathing. The illness is fatal with no known cure. It is rare so there is very little funding for research.

 

Before this cruel illness, my mum was a keen runner. She participated in several marathons and half marathons every year. When she was 50 she completed the London marathon for the first time and went on to run it on 2 more occasions. In September 2010 she ran the Great North Run and this was to be her last race. Buy December she needed a walking stick to get around and by April 2011 she could no longer walk at all any more. Sadly on 21th May 2011 she died at the age of just 55. 

 

We have all done nothing like this before and it’s going to be a big challenge, we have decided to raise money for the Motor Neurone Disease Assosiation. The Motor Neurone Disease Association is the only national charity in England, Wales and Northern Ireland that funds and promotes global research into the disease and provides support for people affected by MND.

 

 

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