Update (Monday 1st November 2021)

My JustGiving page has now closed. The total raised was £2000 with a further £338.75 in Gift Aid. The money is already with the Motor Neurone Disease Association (NI Branch). 

The money raised will make a difference to people with MND and their families. Thank you once again for your donations and support! 

Richard #TeamMND #United2EndMND

Update (Sunday 3rd October 2021)

2021 Belfast City Marathon COMPLETE! Official time 3:41.07. What an amazing experience! One that was made even better by having family there to cheer me on!

I ran today for my dad. The total raised on my JustGiving page for the Motor Neurone Disease Association (NI) is £1765. Thank you for your kindness. 

Richard #TeamMND

https://www.justgiving.com/fundraising/r-nelson

Update (Saturday 2nd October 2021)

Tomorrow I’ll be running the 2021 Belfast City Marathon in memory of my dad for the Motor Neurone Disease Association Northern Ireland. 

I’ve been asked quite a lot this week if I am excited about running the marathon and the answer is both yes and no. I’m looking forward to the day (and to hopefully seeing the finish line) but at the same time I know it’s going to be physically and mentally challenging.

The other question that I’ve been asked most this week is do I have a time in mind that I’d like to finish the marathon. The answer to that is yes but the more that I trained the more that time has changed. My goal tomorrow is to finish the marathon. If I can do that under the four hour mark then I’ll be very happy. 

I’ll be running tomorrow for my dad, my family and the MND Association. Thank you again for all the support and donations #TeamMND. 

Richard 

https://www.justgiving.com/fundraising/r-nelson

Update (Sunday 29th August 2021)

2021 Antrim Coast Half Marathon complete! My target time was 1 hour 45 mins and my finish time was 1 hour 38 mins 20 secs. I’m happy with that for my first organised race. It was a great experience. The feeling of crossing the finish line was made even better by having my girls there waiting for me.

The countdown starts now for the big one - the 2021 Belfast City Marathon on Sunday 3rd October. The total on my JustGiving page for the Motor Neurone Disease Association is now £1620, taking me past my £1500 target. The donations and messages of support mean the world. Thank you!

Richard #TeamMND

https://www.justgiving.com/fundraising/r-nelson

Update (Saturday 28th August 2021)

One more sleep to go and it’ll be time for 2021 Antrim Coast Half Marathon! It’s been a tough week with a stomach bug doing the rounds in our house but I’ll give it my best tomorrow! 

MND can leave people locked in a failing body, unable to move, talk or eventually breath. MND took my dad but I’m still here and I hope my efforts will help raise awareness about this devastating disease in the hope that one day a cure is found. 

The total on my JustGiving page for the Motor Neurone Disease Association is £1460 and I’m so thankful for the support. Feel free to share my post and help me to raise as much as possible! 

Richard #TeamMND

https://www.justgiving.com/fundraising/r-nelson

Update (Wednesday 4th August 2021)

The 2021 Antrim Coast Half Marathon is getting closer. It’s the second event that I’ve entered in my fundraiser for the Motor Neurone Disease Association.

It’s on the summer Bank Holiday weekend, on Sunday 29th August. I’ve increased my target to £1500. I’ll keep running and pushing hard in memory of my dad. All donations and support are greatly appreciated. The money raised will make a difference to people with MND and their families.

#MND #TeamMND

https://www.justgiving.com/fundraising/r-nelson

Update (Monday 21st June 2021)

It's #GlobalMNDAwarenessDay - a day to raise awareness of motor neurone disease around the world.

• 6 people will be diagnosed today
• 6 people will die today
• It has NO cure

MND Awareness Day is a great reminder to myself as to why I’m doing what I am. I’m supporting targeted research into motor neurone disease to help find effective treatments and cure this cruel disease. 

#MND #United2EndMND

https://www.justgiving.com/fundraising/r-nelson

Update (Sunday 2nd May 2021)

2021 Deep RiverRock Virtual Belfast City Half Marathon complete! I had set myself a time target of 1 hour 45 minutes for the event and ended up finishing in 1 hour 35 minutes. I’m over the moon with my finish time. Dad was in my thoughts from start to finish. That one was for him!

The next event that I have entered is the 2021 Antrim Coast Half Marathon on the summer Bank Holiday weekend, on Sunday 29th August.

At present the total on my JustGiving page for the Motor Neurone Disease Association is £1220. I can’t thank everyone enough for the support.
Richard #TeamMND

https://www.justgiving.com/fundraising/r-nelson

Update (Sunday 25th April 2021)

Next weekend marks the first event in my preparation for the 2021 Belfast City Marathon. Running the Belfast City Virtual Half Marathon next weekend will take all the training runs and put them into action.

My Strava statistics this year to date include around 32 hours and 400 km of running. However next weekend I will give my all and run the Belfast City Virtual Half Marathon in memory of my dad and for the MND Association.

It’s my wish that giving my time and energy will in some small way help to improve care and support for people affected by MND, fund vital research and raise awareness of this devastating disease.

The current total of £1,140 raised on my JustGiving page for the Motor Neurone Disease Association is overwhelming and I’m thankful for all the donations and support.

£550 could fund a tablet device with communication software, giving the ability to communicate with loved ones. The current total could provide this device to two people suffering with MND. Every donation makes a difference to a person living with MND.

Thanks again! Richard #TeamMND

Update (Saturday 6th March 2021)

WOW! I can’t believe the support that I have received in the first few days of my JustGiving page for the Motor Neurone Disease Association. 

Thank you all so much for your kind donations and messages of support. It took only four hours to reach my fundraising goal and the donations have kept coming in. That has encouraged me to increase my target. 

I’m running to raise money for the MND Association and to promote awareness of Motor Neurone Disease but most importantly, I’m running in memory of my dad. Please like and share. Your support is greatly appreciated. Thanks again! Richard #TeamMND

My Story

My fundraising efforts are in memory of my dad George Allen Nelson. I have entered the 2021 Deep RiverRock Virtual Belfast City Half Marathon, Antrim Coast 2021 Half Marathon and 2021 Deep RiverRock Belfast City Marathon to raise money for the MND Association (Northern Ireland Branch).

My dad was diagnosed with MND on 20^th November 2019 having experienced symptoms for a period of time before that. The diagnosis devastated our family leaving many feelings and questions but the hardest part was the one thing that we did know – there is no cure for MND. Our family would never be the same again.

MND is a fatal rapidly occurring disease that affects the brain and spinal cord. Motor neurone disease kills a third of people within a year and more than half within two years of diagnosis. Six people are diagnosed every day. Up to 5,000 people are fighting MND at various stages of the disease. Six people die each and every day.

Watching as my father’s health deteriorated in the months that followed and being unable to offer anything other than comfort and support was extremely hard. Breathing difficulties, speech problems and loss of motor function took away the man that I spent my life looking up to and left a shadow in its place. Add to that seeing the physical and mental toll that this battle was taking on my mum and I’d have given anything to find a miracle cure. My dad’s battle was ultimately a short one. A husband, dad and granda taken by this devastating disease. My dad passed away on 1^st March 2020.

The MND Association is the only national charity in England, Wales and Northern Ireland dedicated to improve care and support for people affected by MND, fund and promote research, and campaign and raise awareness so the needs of people with MND are addressed by society. Visit www.mndassociation.org for more information.

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