Danielle Sheridan
Danielle's Istanbul Marathon page
Fundraising for Motor Neurone Disease Association
Story
Thanks for taking the time to visit my JustGiving page.
Two years ago my aunty, Rosemary, died from Motor Neurone Disease.
She was a fierce Irish lass who had been very independent her whole life. She loved to travel and would think nothing of jumping in her caravan and driving to Ireland "for a good spin".
It was around Christmas time a few years ago that Rosemary noticed her speech had started to slur, breathing was becoming harder and her hands weren't as steady as they had been.
After many tests she was eventually told she had MND.
Sadly, there is no known cure for the disease, which gradually affects the brain and spinal cord by attacking the nerves which control movement so the muscles no longer work.
Slowly, her body stopped functioning as it used to and with time she lost the ability to speak and then swallow. Her only form of nutrition came through a tube.
Her last form of communication was handwriting, which she kept up right until the end.
I remember her daughter, Clare, telling me her mum had scribbled on a piece of paper that she could “murder a vodka and a plate of egg and chips” - having not eaten anything solid for months.
We both laughed at the thought of her craving such things, but, I suppose, as with anything in life, it's always the simple things that bring the most joy.
So, in memory of my aunty - who made me endless cups of tea, cut my fringe when it got in my eyes and gave me her beautiful dresses from the '60s - I'm running the Istanbul marathon to raise money for a charity which helped her so much.
This trip is completely self-funded, so my flights to and from Istanbul as well as accommodation has been paid for by me. All of your money is going to the MND Association.
Donating through JustGiving is simple, fast and totally secure. Your details are safe with JustGiving - they'll never sell them on or send unwanted emails. Once you donate, they'll send your money directly to the charity. So it's the most efficient way to donate - saving time and cutting costs for the charity.