Is he asking for donations AGAIN?! Yes, yes I am! On 10^th September I will be running the Great North Run in memory of my amazing friend David Greaves. This won’t be the most physically demanding challenge event I have taken on, but it will be the toughest emotionally. Last year I ran the Great North Run with a group of Dave’s friends and family and we had the pleasure of seeing Dave at mile 4, where I gave him possibly the sweatiest hug and kiss he would have had the displeasure of experiencing! Sadly Dave won’t be there to cheer us on this year, but he will certainly be in my thoughts all the way round.

Motor neurone disease (MND) kills the nerves in the brain and spinal cord which are responsible for voluntary movements such as moving your arms and legs, talking, breathing and swallowing. MND affects up to 5,000 people in the UK at any one time and there is currently no cure,
effective treatment or easy way to diagnose. Dave was diagnosed with this dreadful disease shortly after his 30^th birthday, after several months of symptoms. Over the next 15 months things got progressively tougher
for Dave as the disease affected his ability to walk, talk and breathe, and
eventually required full time care. However, it didn’t affect his humour,
courage or spirit as he continued to live life as fully as he could.

Over this incredibly challenging period Dave and Philippa got engaged and had an incredible wedding! They travelled around Africa and amazingly climbed as far up Kilimanjaro as was safe for them to go. Dave also continued to write fantastic children’s books, one of which has already been published. It truly is an awful disease for anyone to experience but the support that the MND association gives to people with the disease, and their loved ones, helps to make life as easy and enjoyable as it can be. The vital research that they carry out will hopefully speed up the diagnosis process and improve the treatments available.

Please give what you can to a great cause, in memory of a legend

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