Thanks for taking the time to visit my JustGiving page.

I would like to start by telling you a little bit about Motor Neurone Disease before I explain the reason behind the crazy half marathon I will be doing in April 2018.

Motor neurone disease (MND) describes a group of diseases that affect the nerves (motor neurones) in the brain and spinal cord that tell your muscles what to do. With MND, messages from these nerves gradually stop reaching the muscles, leading them to weaken, stiffen and waste.

• MND can affect how you walk, talk, eat, drink and breathe. Some people also experience changes to their thinking and behaviour. However, MND affects everyone differently. Not all symptoms will affect everyone, or in the same order. Symptoms also progress at varying speeds, which makes the course of the disease difficult to predict.

• MND can affect adults of any age, but usually when they are 50 years old or more. The disease is more common in men than women, but this evens out with age.

• MND is life-shortening and there is no cure. Although the disease will progress, symptoms can be managed to help achieve the best possible quality of life.

• MND and ALS are different descriptions of the same disease. In the UK we use the term motor neurone disease (MND) and in the USA they use amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) - you will have possibly heard of the term ALS before, as a few years back in 2014 most of you took part in the amazing "ICE BUCKET CHALLENGE" which was circulated internationally to promote awareness of Motor Neurone Disease. This went VIRAL and people all over the world came to know of the disease thanks to everyone who took part!

I have decided to enter the Sheffield half marathon in 2018 (my first ever) because of someone very close to my heart, who has fought and powered through the last 7 years with this disease. My Nanny Barbara is the strongest, most amazing and inspirational woman I have ever met. Anyone who knows her or has ever had the pleasure of meeting her will know how much of a caring, generous and loving person she is. The symptoms she has developed from MND over this time include loss of speech (which she depends on a type writer to help her in conversations everyday) deteriorated mobility and struggles with eating and drinking. There has never been a time where she hasn’t been powering through her day to day life with a smile, even on her worse days and this makes her the best role model to me. My Nan has always been my number one fan and supporter so what better way of giving back to the charity who shows help and support to my Nan and thousands of other people in her position than her cheering me on at the end of the finish line. My goal is to raise £500 as this could partly fund a riser recliner armchair, helping to make someone with MND more comfortable. But even £10 can provide an information pack for someone newly diagnosed with MND!

I would be so thankful if you could spare even a £1 for me to reach my goal.

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