Thanks for taking the time to visit my JustGiving page.

This disease has affected me and my family and friends for over 40 years and I really feel its time I did sometime in order to raise funds for the MS Society so that more research can be done in the hope that in the future the suffering can stop and the disease can at last be beaten. 

 Forty years ago my first Sergeant in the police cadets, Ray Robinson, who was such a tremendous sportsman, was diagnosed with MS. This affected him a great deal over the following years and he lost both his sight and the ability to walk, ending up having to use a wheelchair. His son Andy Robinson played rugby for England but Ray was unable to see him play his debut match and it had to be relayed to him at Twickenham verbally by his friend and mentor. 

Nearly 20 years ago my cousin Claire, who was also playing rugby for England was diagnosed with MS. Although she had to give up the rugby the disease didn't affect her so quickly but she is now finding it a lot harder to get about without walking aids.  

About five years ago after achieving a degree in in a  public services subject my daughter Bethany, now aged 28 years, followed me into the police force joining The Thames Valley Constabulary. She has worked in Oxford and surrounding towns and is now working as a plain clothes detective in the child abuse department in Reading. 

Beth's work is now being hampered because in the summer of last year she was diagnosed with MS. This was a massive shock to me as we had thought her symptoms over the previous two years may have been because of the glandular fever she had as a teenager. This was obviously a massive shock and a  nightmare situation for Beth. Some days she doesn't know she has it and other days her whole body tightens up and she has to lie down and curl up to try to eradicate the pain. She will tell you it can be an invisible illness. A person may look fine on the outside but inside the pain is too great. The 'MS HUG' as it is known affects your whole body. There is no chance of her working when she is affected by the Hug.  

Beth knows there is no cure and she could lead a fairly normal life, but then the progression of the symptoms could be fast. I think the hardest part is not knowing how her life is going to pan out. Where will she be in five, or ten years time. This is also what hurts me. I had an horrendous head injury over 30 years ago and my recovery was fairly slow, but now my life, and future is pretty rosey.. Beth's future is not. It is uncertain, with no cure. She has to manage this, with the help of her partner, Jonny, and her family and friends. This gets me down at times. I think of her every day and love her so dearly. I would swap, gladly. 

Perhaps we can all help a little bit.

On 2nd September 2018 I am undertaking a 15000ft tandem skydive in order to raise some funds. This will be my first attempt. Please donate an amount to this cause on my page. Let's help give Beth and Claire and any other person, who's life has been affected by this disease, a glimmer of a chance to manage their lives without pain. Research is always being done but to do this more funds are required. Thank you for reading this page, and thank you so very much for donating. Take care. Nick 

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