Team Wilson

When my dad, David was diagnosed with a form of blood cancer in October 2019 it was a traumatic time for the whole family. But, as scary as it was, there was at least hope in the form of treatment. Indeed, after a punishing regime of chemotherapy and radiotherapy, he moved into remission in the summer of 2020. Thank goodness for all those decades of research and investment into developing better and better treatments.

Unfortunately, my dad was then diagnosed with Motor Neurone Disease. This time, however, we are also faced with the harsh reality that there is no cure for MND. The type he has is called ALS (there are several different types of MND) which comes with an average life expectancy of 2-5years from the onset of symptoms. We now know the early symptoms were there at the same time as the cancer, nearly 3 years ago.

I'm taking on the challenge of the Manchester Half Marathon, a distance I have never run before, to raise funds for the Motor Neurone Disease Association and also for a small local charity called EMpowered People. MNDA needs vital funds to continue research into this hideous disease in the hopes of one day finding a cure. EMpowered people is a charity that directly helps my dad retain a quality of life through one of his loves, cycling. They have provided a recumbent cycle for my dad which my stepmum Helen can tow on her bike, enabling him to get outside and continue to enjoy his hobby. (You may have seen it on Look North a few weeks ago!)

Please consider donating to these 2 great causes as I continue my training to complete those 13.1 miles on the 9th October!