A lot of you might not know my mother, or me personally, but I’m sure if you do, you’ll be more than aware than my mum suffers from secondary progressive MS. 

Debbie Stamp was and always had been a zero tolerance, I can do anything type of lady, until things started going downhill in late 2005, which lead to her diagnosis in 2006. I was only young at the time of the diagnosis, so didn’t really know what was going on. All I knew about MS, was that my friend Sam’s mum had the same condition, albeit much more progressed than my mum. 

Overtime, we as a family, have adapted, mainly my mum and dad and their house and way of life, to ensure that mum is included in everything. She’s still very much an individual but now relies heavily on my dad. She still tries her very best to remain independent, with use of her scooter which you’ll know I’m very fond of making fun of, aswell as other aids around the house.

My strong willed mother is still the very same woman she was back in 2006, but much more frustrated that her body can longer keep up with her power and ambition. 

That’s why we are walking at MS Walk 2023 to help stop MS in Manchester on May 13th. Don’t worry, the irony of raising money for MS through a sponsored walk hasn’t been lost on me either. And that’s exactly why I couldn’t say no. The humour between my mum and myself regarding her MS is our way of expressing emotions. It’s our coping mechanism. Sure, I’ve been there for the falls, trips, memory loss, fatigue, MS hug, blind spots and many more, and have shed many a tear in private or to Amy about it, because humour is how we’ve grown to deal with this brutal condition.

MS is an unpredictable and incurable condition that affects people's nervous systems. It can attack suddenly or progress steadily, bringing a range of symptoms which can include sight loss, incontinence, fatigue and mobility problems. No-one with MS can be sure when or how it will affect them next.Your donations will go towards life-changing MS research. Thank you!