sally taylorson
Run Morocco (100k)
Fundraising for Motor Neurone Disease Association
Story
This is a photo of me with my step-father, John, taken in February 2010, three weeks after he was diagnosed with Motor Neurone Disease and already very unwell.
Until late last year John was the fittest, strongest man you could ever wish to meet; ‘an unstoppable force of nature’. He would be busy outside every day; feeding cows, making/,mending fences, producing honey from his hives, working in his vineyard or mending something. He loves singing and was a member of the Victoria Male Voice Choir, touring the state and travelling to the UK to the Eisteddfod.
Together with my Mum, John realised his long-held dream of building a beautiful house which he had designed himself. Realising this dream took them years, building a little bit more each day after work. However, they achieved that dream and what was once scrubby land became a beautiful nature reserve, filled with wildlife and vineyards and an amazing house in the middle of it.
John is every little boy’s dream granddad. When my son was barely eight John taught him how to shoot with a bow and arrow. When he was older John taught him how to use a powerful rifle. Now 21, he can still hit a bulls-eye with ease. At night, he and John would go ‘spotlighting’; hunting with powerful spotlights on the quad-bike and a rifle. Daytimes saw them canoeing together on their dam.
During Autumn/Winter 2009, John became increasingly unwell, losing strength in his legs, becoming breathless and losing weight. Doctors could not explain it. Then, in January this year, he was finally diagnosed with the most aggressive form of Motor Neurone Disease (MND) and given a matter of months to live.
In the UK 5 people are diagnosed with and 5 people die of MND every day. At some point in the next few months John will be one of those and the world will lose this wonderful and creative man, loved so much by so many, including me.
I need to raise a minimum of £2, 500. I would love to raise much, much more.
Fitness training supported and assisted by Confident Fitness. Visit confidentfitness.co.uk for more details.
Until late last year John was the fittest, strongest man you could ever wish to meet; ‘an unstoppable force of nature’. He would be busy outside every day; feeding cows, making/,mending fences, producing honey from his hives, working in his vineyard or mending something. He loves singing and was a member of the Victoria Male Voice Choir, touring the state and travelling to the UK to the Eisteddfod.
Together with my Mum, John realised his long-held dream of building a beautiful house which he had designed himself. Realising this dream took them years, building a little bit more each day after work. However, they achieved that dream and what was once scrubby land became a beautiful nature reserve, filled with wildlife and vineyards and an amazing house in the middle of it.
John is every little boy’s dream granddad. When my son was barely eight John taught him how to shoot with a bow and arrow. When he was older John taught him how to use a powerful rifle. Now 21, he can still hit a bulls-eye with ease. At night, he and John would go ‘spotlighting’; hunting with powerful spotlights on the quad-bike and a rifle. Daytimes saw them canoeing together on their dam.
During Autumn/Winter 2009, John became increasingly unwell, losing strength in his legs, becoming breathless and losing weight. Doctors could not explain it. Then, in January this year, he was finally diagnosed with the most aggressive form of Motor Neurone Disease (MND) and given a matter of months to live.
Seeing how MND is devastating both his body and the life that he and my mother built together has affected me deeply and motivated me to do something to raise money to help others affected by MND.
Therefore, between 12-18th November, I will participate in a 100k run through the Atlas Mountains in Morocco to raise funds for the Motor Neurone Association.
In the UK 5 people are diagnosed with and 5 people die of MND every day. At some point in the next few months John will be one of those and the world will lose this wonderful and creative man, loved so much by so many, including me.
I need to raise a minimum of £2, 500. I would love to raise much, much more.
Fitness training supported and assisted by Confident Fitness. Visit confidentfitness.co.uk for more details.