your voice If you have something you would like to share with other members of the MND family, we would love to hear from you. Letters, which must include your full address, can be sent to Your Voice, Thumb Print, PO Box 246, Northampton, NN1 2PR or via email at editor@mndassociation.org Please note that letters may be edited. If your letter is printed on these pages we will send you an MND Association coin keyring.
diary dates Great South Run 25 October Regional conference – York 25 October Wiggle ‘Devil’s Punch’ Cycling, South Downs, Brighton November 1 Back 2 The Trenches November 15 Glow in the Park 5k Various dates Bakeit! All year round Walk to D’feet MND All year round Santa 5k/10k runLondon, Victoria Park 6 December Regional conference – Bristol 23 January 2016
38
www.mndassociation.org
Remembering my mother My mother died of motor neurone disease in January 2005 and she lost her speech. In the beginning, it got worse as she became more tired, so she would discuss important matters over breakfast. Many people thought she had suffered a stroke at this time. Although I did not know the reason for her loss of speech, I thought this to be incorrect as she had not lost the ability to construct sentences. Very infrequently, but every so often, without warning she would say two or three words or even a sentence which were quite intelligible. My wife could lip read my mother, but I could not, but because we are creatures of
habit I was able to think what she would say in certain situations and what she wanted to do. This ability was useful. She would not use a keyboard, but instead chose to write reams on a reporter’s notebook as a way of communication. It became very difficult for us because to save her writing, she would refer back several pages to a word, or even a sentence in a paragraph she had written to someone else and expect one to put in the context of that which she was writing to you. She suffered for some four years and died just short of her 91st birthday. Peter Wright, Ipswich
Follow us @mndassoc Talking about #MND on Twitter Daniel Brocklebank @Dan_Brocklebank – Sep 12 My first brew of the day, with my #SelfTea4MND. Can u do the same & donate to @ mndassoc? (Text ‘TMND55 £5’ to 70070) Z @zzzedkat – Sep 21 My sister is about to swim the Solent from Portsmouth to the Isle of Wight to raise money for the MND association. She’s amaaaazing! MND Association @mndassoc – Sep 18 Ruth, living with #MND & daughter of former @EnglandRugby captain William Wakefield surprised with a #RWC2015 ticket! http://bit.ly/1KqGMYa MND Association @mndassoc – Sep 13 Well that’s it for another year @Great_Run. A huge THANK YOU to our amazing runners & volunteers #MND #GNR2015 26Miles 4mnd @26miles4mnd – Aug 29 Thank you all the new followers of @26miles4mnd and thanks for all the retweets and faves we’ve had in the last 12 hours! Feel #humble #MND Tom Syndicate @ProSyndicate – Aug 11 Ohh check it out! I got nominated by @mndassoc <3 http://www.mndassociation. org/news-and-events/latest-news/tom-syndicate-cassell-nominated