DAMIAN DOHERTY
DAMIAN's page
Fundraising for Transverse Myelitis Society
Story
Hi Everyone!
I am in training for my second London Marathon and I 'm hoping this one will be a little less painful than 6 years ago! I am running in memory of my dear Uncle Ed who sadly passed away 4 years ago. He was the most gentle and kind hearted person I have ever met and we all miss him very much. I pledged when he died I would run the Marathon not only as a tribute to Ed but to raise awareness and of course vital funds for The Transverse Myelitis Society. Ed suffered from TM and I feel proud to be making this inaugural London Marathon on behalf of this wonderful society which works very hard to raise awareness into this orphan disease. TM is a neurological disorder affecting the Central Nervous System and for more info you can visit their website at www.myelitis.org.uk.
Ed's story is below.
Thanks a million for any contributions you can make. It really will make a difference.
Cheers
Damian
Ed’s Story Edward John Fairley was born on 13th December 1950. He was the third child and had two much older sisters. He had an uneventful life up to the age of 15 when he started having blackouts. Epilepsy was diagnosed and then one day he woke up and found he was paralysed. He was finally diagnosed as having transverse myelitis and they said he would never walk again. He was not allowed to return to school as it was feared he would upset other pupils. After two years of fighting with the education department he was granted a home tutor for 2 hours a week. He would not hear of being in a wheelchair and managed to walk very shakily with the aid of a stick. One leg was better than the other and this enabled him to drive an automatic car. He achieved a BSc and a PhD and started to work for the NHS as a medical physicist. He had always wanted to become a priest but had to abandon that idea because of his disability. In 1981, the year of the disabled, he was accepted for training by the Passionist Order but due to his nocturnal epileptic attacks had to leave. He set about acquiring more degrees and was then accepted by the Claretian Order. He went to Chicago for a year and then spent several years at Durham University studying Theology. Sadly not too long before his Ordination he suffered a series of broken legs from falls and very regretfully had to leave the Claretians also. He studied again at Bristol gaining another degree and then went back to live in Scotland. He became a counsellor for The Samaritans and The AA and eventually found full time work as a counsellor. He was a quiet man and a great listener. He lived in his own flat and managed (with great difficulty) on his own. His health was deteriorating quite rapidly now. His kidneys were no longer functioning and he had to go on dialysis three times a week. This was around 2002/3. His employer kept his job open for over a year but he was unable to return as by now he was in a wheelchair could no longer drive and there was no disabled access where he worked. He was in and out of hospital on a regular basis and he kept falling and breaking his leg. It was one such occasion when he was in hospital that he died in June 2006 whilst they were operating on his leg. He was an inspirational character. He never complained about his hard life and spent his life helping others. At the time of his death he was a board member of ‘The Childrens Panel’ which met to try and decide the fate of disadvantaged and wayward children. He never spoke ill of anyone. It is this rare quality that serves as inspiration for running these 26.2 miles. Ed's life was full of obstacles but he tackled all of them with unwavering hope and optimism. His spirit lives on and I know he’ll be with me on the day doing what he can to spur me on and feeling very pleased that we’re raising valuable funds together to further research for The Transverse Myelitis Society.
I am in training for my second London Marathon and I 'm hoping this one will be a little less painful than 6 years ago! I am running in memory of my dear Uncle Ed who sadly passed away 4 years ago. He was the most gentle and kind hearted person I have ever met and we all miss him very much. I pledged when he died I would run the Marathon not only as a tribute to Ed but to raise awareness and of course vital funds for The Transverse Myelitis Society. Ed suffered from TM and I feel proud to be making this inaugural London Marathon on behalf of this wonderful society which works very hard to raise awareness into this orphan disease. TM is a neurological disorder affecting the Central Nervous System and for more info you can visit their website at www.myelitis.org.uk.
Ed's story is below.
Thanks a million for any contributions you can make. It really will make a difference.
Cheers
Damian
Ed’s Story Edward John Fairley was born on 13th December 1950. He was the third child and had two much older sisters. He had an uneventful life up to the age of 15 when he started having blackouts. Epilepsy was diagnosed and then one day he woke up and found he was paralysed. He was finally diagnosed as having transverse myelitis and they said he would never walk again. He was not allowed to return to school as it was feared he would upset other pupils. After two years of fighting with the education department he was granted a home tutor for 2 hours a week. He would not hear of being in a wheelchair and managed to walk very shakily with the aid of a stick. One leg was better than the other and this enabled him to drive an automatic car. He achieved a BSc and a PhD and started to work for the NHS as a medical physicist. He had always wanted to become a priest but had to abandon that idea because of his disability. In 1981, the year of the disabled, he was accepted for training by the Passionist Order but due to his nocturnal epileptic attacks had to leave. He set about acquiring more degrees and was then accepted by the Claretian Order. He went to Chicago for a year and then spent several years at Durham University studying Theology. Sadly not too long before his Ordination he suffered a series of broken legs from falls and very regretfully had to leave the Claretians also. He studied again at Bristol gaining another degree and then went back to live in Scotland. He became a counsellor for The Samaritans and The AA and eventually found full time work as a counsellor. He was a quiet man and a great listener. He lived in his own flat and managed (with great difficulty) on his own. His health was deteriorating quite rapidly now. His kidneys were no longer functioning and he had to go on dialysis three times a week. This was around 2002/3. His employer kept his job open for over a year but he was unable to return as by now he was in a wheelchair could no longer drive and there was no disabled access where he worked. He was in and out of hospital on a regular basis and he kept falling and breaking his leg. It was one such occasion when he was in hospital that he died in June 2006 whilst they were operating on his leg. He was an inspirational character. He never complained about his hard life and spent his life helping others. At the time of his death he was a board member of ‘The Childrens Panel’ which met to try and decide the fate of disadvantaged and wayward children. He never spoke ill of anyone. It is this rare quality that serves as inspiration for running these 26.2 miles. Ed's life was full of obstacles but he tackled all of them with unwavering hope and optimism. His spirit lives on and I know he’ll be with me on the day doing what he can to spur me on and feeling very pleased that we’re raising valuable funds together to further research for The Transverse Myelitis Society.