Multiple Sclerosis is a condition which I have lived around my whole life.
I remember helping at MS society coffee mornings with my grandma, who at the time was the chairperson of the MS moray branch. I witnessed first hand the struggles my grandad faced as he battled with this Debilitating condition for years.
With the knowledge and experience I had gained over the years. It came as a monumental shock that my strong, fit, hard working husband would have to face the same struggles after a confirmed diagnosis of primary progressive MS in 2014.
We were both devastated with this diagnosis and uncertainty of what the future may hold. Stephen found his mobility was decreasing rapidly which made it predominantly challenging to carry on with employment, which later prompted us to move back to Buckie and seek support from our families as living so far away (West Lothian) was proving very difficult for us all.
Our beautiful daughters Ashleigh and Aimee have adapted well to this life and have never really known any different. As Ashleigh was just 6 and Aimee just a baby when their dad was diagnosed.
When first moving back to Buckie Stephen found it very daunting to be seen in his wheelchair with anxieties of people judging him. Regardless of continuous reassurance this frightened him and he became a shell of himself.
In 2018 Stephen was offered an opportunity to try wheelchair curling through the MS society. I remember the day he came back from his first practice he was beaming from ear to ear and wouldn’t stop talking lol. He had a sparkle in his eye and he had found a new passion. He continued to tell me all about the wonderful people who were in the group who have since turned into great friends.
Although Stephen has deteriorated quite significantly over the years, he is more determined than ever to battle this lifelong condition.
Life is far from easy but the MS moray branch have been a fantastic support to our wee family and this has massively increased Stephen’s confidence.

This cycle will be a huge challenge for me but it is nothing in comparison to the struggle of everyday tasks that people who have MS are faced with. By choosing the moray branch to fundraise for, I feel like I am giving a little back, please donate to this amazing charity and help local families who are facing the same struggles.