Hello, my name is Helen. Im trying to raise money for my friend Dick who has Multiple Sclerosis. In Dick’s words, here is his story...

“In many ways I am lucky as my form of MS is of a far slower deterioration than many others with the condition. I’ve had MS for 16 years. I am still mobile, and with the use of walking aids I can function relatively well, and I can move about and get things done for a few hours every other morning. From about 10am, my energy begins to wane, I become sluggish and my responses become confused and awkward and even forgetful. I deteriorate rapidly as the day progresses requiring the remaining hours of the day, and all of the next, as a rest period. Resting enables me to do it all again every other morning. My days are routine, they need to be, and I make it work, and when something stops working, I make adjustments and continue moving forward. I decided to embrace my body, and my minds deterioration many years ago, and this has helped me stay stronger for longer, I believe. I am a very positive person. I’m very pragmatic, after all why waste time on ‘what ifs’? No, rather I’ll just go with it, and accept the hurdles before me as and when they rise up to meet me. As a consequence of this ‘outlook’ I gave up on things like ‘hope’ a long time ago, as it was not something I could rely on anymore, thinking, and everyone agreed, there will never be a cure. Panorama had an episode on Multiple Sclerosis which reawakened my hope, there really is a possibility of repair and certainly in stopping further progression of the condition. Currently in trials, all subjects monitored in the documentary showed improvement, some dramatic. All MRI scans revealed no more brain lesions, the MS was gone. In basic terms Chemo and Stem Cell transplant restarts the old you, reigniting our state before MS came knocking at our doors. I have Secondary Progressive MS so sadly I fall outside of the Trial subject criteria. According to the Panorama episode, treatment (and it’s a one off treatment) costs the NHS £40,000 per patient. I’ll never see money like that in my lifetime, I’m unable to work and rely on the state to support me. Back when I worked, I loved to work; before MS I’ve never been sick, no injury, no Cold nor Flu. I’ve never had a sick day, not one, not even in jest, not even to nurse a hang-over, or because I just couldn’t be bothered, I’ve always been bothered. I love the idea of contributing once more, of helping and feeling part of something again, since the programme aired, it is all that’s occupied my thoughts.”

Our Kick the Stick campaign started in 2016 and so far we have raised £26k. As we are trying to reach a target, the cost has risen also. We are not defeated, we continue to raise the funds for our friend.

I need sugar daily, I know that sounds odd but I have a set of sweet teeth not a single sweet tooth. I eat cakes, chocolate biscuits, flying saucers, red laces, chocolate bars, jam dougnuts and sweets on a weekly basis. I am going sugar free for February. Wish me luck...