Lynsey Courtenay
Lynsey and John's Page
Fundraising for Multiple Sclerosis Society
Story
Together myself and John are running a few different races. I myself am running the Great Edinburgh Run which is 10 miles around Edinburgh City Centre on the 23rd of April (Loads of hills I may add!) We are both running the EMF Half Marathon on the 28th of May along with the Great North Run (again another half marathon) on the 10th of September. We both have close ties to the North East albeit John is a Mackem (terrible affliction) and I am a Geordie! So to run this and together is definitely a dream come true for us both. John is running the Schneider Marathon in Paris on the 9th of April, the Stirling Marathon on the 21st of May, the Birmingham Marathon on the 15th of October as well as the GNR. Considering a few years ago neither of us could run a bath this is a challenge for us indeed.
John and I have our own personal reasons for wishing to raise funds for the MS Society. Both John's sister Sharon and My Best Friend Gillian have Primary Progressive MS.
Multiple sclerosis (MS) is a condition of the central nervous system.
In MS, the coating around nerve fibres (called myelin) is damaged, causing a range of symptoms.
More than 100,000 people in the UK have MS. Symptoms usually start in your 20s and 30s and it affects almost three times as many women as men.
Once diagnosed, MS stays with you for life, but treatments and specialists can help you to manage the condition and its symptoms.
We don't know the cause and we haven't yet found a cure, but research is progressing fast. With your support we can help find the cause and hopefully a cure.
Gillian and Sharon both have Primary Progressive MS (PPMS) which affects about 10 to 15 per cent of people diagnosed with MS. Symptoms gradually get worse over time, rather than appearing as sudden attacks (relapses).
In primary progressive MS, early symptoms are often subtle problems with walking, which develop – often slowly – over time.
Whatever symptoms someone experiences, the way they progress can vary – from person to person and over time. So, although in the long-term symptoms might get gradually worse, there can be long periods of time when they seem to be staying level, with no noticeable changes.
I have known Gillian all my life and have had some carry on with her. Some of the stories we could tell you would genuinely make your hair curl!! What happens in Bedrocks/Dublin/Whitley Bay stays in Bedrocks/Dublin or Whitley! Having been diagnosed at a very early age was particularly hard due to the fact Gillian had a very young family.John has obviously known Sharon all his life too!! They are from a very close, supportive family. Sharon was diagnosed with PPMS in 2013. Like Gillian she has a young family too and works in her local school. Sharon is very much a fun loving person, wife and mother.
We would dearly love to find a cure for MS along with a cause for MS in our lifetime
Every donation whether it is big or small is very much appreciated and we would like to thank you from the bottom of our heart in doing so.
Many Thanks
Lynsey and John