This initiative is inspired by the friendship between Helen and Firas. Please support us by donating here.

Our story:

Helen and I have been friends for a few years. Helen is a Classics teacher from North London. I came to the UK from Syria as a student. Since the war broke out in my home country, I have not been able to return. Instead, I stayed in London as a refugee and started working as an Arabic language teacher.

Helen and I first met when she wanted to take some Arabic lessons. At that time, she was doing a PhD in poetry, focusing on an Iraqi poet. Throughout our lessons over a couple of years I was always impressed by her sharp understanding and wide knowledge of Arabic literature. In lessons where I was supposed to be the tutor, I found myself learning more than teaching. Our relation grew into a friendship that I have always been proud of.

In May 2017, Helen was diagnosed with Motor Neurone Disease.

MND is a fatal, rapidly progressing disease that affects the brain and spinal cord. It attacks the nerves that control movement; people can still think and feel, but their muscles no longer work. It can leave people locked in a failing body, unable to move, talk and eventually breathe. It affects up to 5,000 adults in the UK at any one time. Six people are diagnosed every day. Six people die each and every day.

MND has no cure. Research into the disease is therefore vital and much needed. The MND Association funds and promotes research that leads to new understanding and treatments, and brings us closer to a cure for MND. Some of their current research looks at a new approach to "restore function to muscles that have been paralysed by motor neurone damage. This could have major beneficial effects for people living with MND; it could be used to control the diaphragm which enables people to breathe, preventing the need for assisted ventilation, or in the longer term it could restore function to more complex muscles."

Supporting the MND Association so they can fund more research into MND, is a key part of the fight against this disease. Please join Helen and myself in fighting MND and creating change to the lives of thousands of people all over the world.

Thank you in advance for your kind support.

Firas

To find out more about Helen’s work and inspirational ideas please have a look at her blog here https://followingafullmoon.wordpress.com/