I'm a novice runner. I've been recovering from a severe ankle sprain over the last year, so this is the first time I've been able to run distances for a while. I'm running the Great Manchester 10k Run on 15th May to raise money for the important, hopefully future life-saving work of the Motor Neurone Disease Association who research this incredibly cruel disease which currently has no cure.  This is my first ever competitive race and a big challenge, as when I started training I was fairly unfit! I'm now training 3-5 times a week.

  

I previously knew little about this disease, other than hearing it mentioned in the same sentence as Professor Steven Hawking and thinking it sounded very cruel.

 

Sadly my family were to become much more familiar with the disease when my Auntie Janet (mum's older sister) died at the young age of 60 on 8th October 2008 after a rapid decline in health.  She noticed early symptoms in May 2007, becoming very concerned about progression of symptoms towards the end of 2007, only receiving a diagnosis in June 2008 to then only live a few more months. She left a loving husband, sister, brother, 2 children, a grandchild, 4 neices and a nephew.

   

More recently my Uncle Andrew (mum's younger brother) died suddenly on 29th August 2010, aged 55, following progressive loss of independence, suffering from incredibly similar final symptoms to his older sister.  Although never a confirmed diagnosis, his Neurologist has explained he is confident it was also MND. He left my mum as the last survivor from her immmediate family at the young age of 58.

 

MND strips people of speech and / or movement, the ability to eat and breathe unaided and finally of life.  For my Auntie's last few months of life she retained movement, but lost speech and swallow, which led to increasing difficulty with communication. These frustrating memories spur me on as I’m now learning British Sign Language.  I wonder if this visual mode of communication could be of use to some MND sufferers.  My Uncle retained speech, but gradually lost movement, becoming increasingly dependent on carers at such a young age.

  

Since my Auntie’s death we’ve all have been busy fundraising for the MND Association, particularly her daughter Liz who has run several marathons in her memory.  Currently the total raised is approximately £6300, I would love to push it towards £7000 in memory of both my Auntie and my Uncle.  To read how the money is used, please follow the first link below. You will see how much the genetic research has moved forward in the last few years, hopefully one day a cure will save or prolong lives.  Also follow these further links to see the inspiring work of other MND sufferers raising money.

 

http://www.mndassociation.org/

http://patricktheoptimist.org/

http://janet.clark.muchloved.com/

http://www.mndassociation.org/news_and_events/our_news/highlighting_the.html

 

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