Hello,

Thank you for taking the time to visit, I appreciate it.  I’m raising money for MS Society, MS Trust and Shift.ms with a 160km walk across the South Downs - and I need your help, please.

I have had Multiple Sclerosis (MS) for 26 years and am fortunate enough to be relatively mobile. Ever since Polio was eradicated, MS is the disabling disease of the young.

After presenting a video series bit.ly/CovidMS  about Covid-19 and MS, I heard from representatives of the major UK MS charities about  just how badly the lockdown has impacted charity income

This was something I had been planning for a while (gotta have goals!). Upon learning how dire things are, I have decided to pivot from the 'all about me' plans, delay the start a few weeks, and try to raise a bit of much-needed money. Your donation will be split equally, 3 ways, between the MS Trust, the MS Society and Shift.ms .

My personal view on fundraising for events like this is you give because someone else suffers instead of you. I get it, so don't feel bad, just dig in and give me a fiver - more if you can but a fiver isn't that hard - because these charities do amazing work.

The MS Society supports a boatload of research, the MS Trust specialises in training and placing much-needed specialist MS nurses and Shift.ms is an amazing digital community whose growth has transformed the idea of online support networks.

All quite different but all equally worthy, hence the 3-way split. My heartfelt thanks goes out to David, the lovely MS Trust CEO, who is helping me with the shenanigans of dividing donations three ways. It is why you see their logo on my page.

If you have got this far and want to know just how much I'll be suffering to do this, I'll give you a quick run-through:

I am 51, will walk 160km (100 miles in old money) - 32km (20miles) a day - wild camping - carrying all food, water, and shelter on my back. There is no external help.

As if I didn’t just have MS to contend with, I am also closing in on Robocop gold status. So far in life I have managed:

•  broke my r. femur 8y ago and have a dynamic hip screw - a lovely 6-8h surgery bit.ly/DomDHS

• right ankle - break and four ops (still aches)

• lateral retinacular release on my right knee at 17

• broken both of my clavicles (collarbones). Both with fixation plates in, and then out, with surgery

• and numerous other niggling things that all signify - in my Nurse's words - an 'active' lifestyle.

Let me assure you, at 51, everything aches a lot more.

So please, in these tough Covid-19 times, when the charities have been hit so badly, spare a few pennies (a fiver or more to be precise) to have me suffer on their/your behalf.  

Thank you so much. I appreciate it, the charities will appreciate it, and people with MS will benefit from your help.

 Best,

Dominic

You'll have to cut and paste this link to watch the videos of me training. 

https://bit.ly/Training-playlist