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Today in the UK, six people will hear the devastating news they have motor neurone disease (MND). In that instant, their world, and the world of their loved ones, will be shattered.Ìý

The MND Association is here for them.

MND is brutal. It attacks the nerves, leaving people unable to walk, talk, eat and eventually breathe. There are no effective treatments and no cure.

For 45 years, the MND Association has been funding research, campaigning and raising awareness, while supporting people at every stage of the disease.

For many, the start is marked by a change in their speech. We provide equipment, support and funding to help people record, or ‘bank’ their voice, to use with technology to continue to ‘speak’.

As the disease progresses, many people worry for their family. Our programme of support for children and young people, including memory-making activities and specialist counselling, helps them understand and deal with the changes MND is causing to their loved ones and family life. We help relieve the financial burden too, providing grants to help with household bills, specialist equipment, hobbies and special occasions.

All the while, we’re working in partnership to make sure people can access the care they need, wherever they live, while also funding and promoting cutting-edge MND research in the UK and worldwide. Currently, over 250 researchers are involved in our research grants and the Association’s portfolio has a value of almost £21.5 million, with a focus on finding treatments and ultimately a cure for MND.

Hello, I’m Charlotte Hawkins and I’m incredibly proud to support the MND Association’s Lifeline Appeal. I know from first-hand experience just how cruel MND is, as my dad sadly died from the disease in 2015, just four years after being diagnosed. Dad was so dignified and brave throughout and watching him go through it was incredibly tough.Ìý

The MND Association is determined to change the future for people like my dad and investing millions of pounds into groundbreaking research to find effective treatments and a cure for this devastating disease. And for all those living with MND now, like James, Maggie and Eoin, they provide vital support to them and their families that ensures they know they are not alone.Ìý

Please give your support today and help beat MND once and for all.Ìý

James’ connection to the MND Association started when he fundraised for the charity in memory of his Nan who died from MND.

Tragically a few years later, James was given the news that he was now facing the same devastating diagnosis.Ìý

James had only just retrained to become a barber – a job he adored – and he soon had to give up working as his MND began to affect his hands and arms, making it impossible to do his job safely.Ìý

Knowing how his MND might progress, James and his wife Carly knew they needed some extra financial support. The MND Association was able to provide grants towards future-proofing their family home, which enabled them to install a wet room downstairs and make it wheelchair accessible. The charity also provided funding towards family days out so James and Carly could continue making memories with their three young children.Ìý

Eoin was diagnosed with MND in June 2020, less than a year after his daughter was born. Life for Eoin, his wife Jenny, and their two young children changed in an instant.Ìý

More than 80% of people with MND will experience communication difficulties while living with the disease, so Eoin made the decision to ‘bank’ his voice soon after his diagnosis. After spending several days recording himself reading specific words and phrases, the MND Association funded the cost of turning those recordings into a digital version of Eoin’s voice – complete with his distinctive Irish accent. Eoin now relies on his digital voice to communicate, and as a result is still able to join in with family conversations and bedtime stories.ÌýÌý

Making memories with her beloved family has been a key focus of Maggie’s since being diagnosed. To help with this, the MND Association provided Maggie and her family with memory making ideas and opportunities. Maggie’s grandchildren received memory boxes, filled with activities to capture precious memories, and the family attended the MND Association’s recent family day at a local theme park. Knowing that her grandchildren can also benefit from tailored counselling, funded by the MND Association, helps bring Maggie peace of mind for the future.Ìý

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