A LOVING daughter is urging generous people to support her sponsored challenge in memory of her dad who died of motor neurone disease.
Emma Curran’s dad James Friend, a retired chemical engineer, formerly from Bere Ferrers, died of the fast-acting disease MND in 2020 within months of diagnosis. Emma moved to Surrey to help care for James along with other family members.
MND is tough on both the person living with MND and their family and friends and the charity the Motor Neurone Disease Association (MNDA) supports them all and supports research into a cure. Emma is therefore, raising money for the MNDA.
As MND quickly took hold, Emma, of Brentor, and her family had to do most things for her dad, even scratching an itch for him when needed as he gradually lost all movement: “He was completely reliant on us and it made living in his home essential. But I was at least with him to the end and that meant a lot to me.”
“Mercifully the MND was very quick acting, because Dad did not want to live like that as he quickly became unable to move. However, MND is very individual and unlike a lot of cases Dad was able to speak right up to the end.”
MND causes messages from the motor neurones in the brain reaching the muscles. This leads the muscles to weaken, stiffen and waste, which can affect how those with the condition walk, talk, eat, drink and breathe. It affects everyone differently.MND is life-shortening and there is no cure.
Although the disease will progress, symptoms can be managed to help achieve the best possible quality of life and the MNDA can provide a comprehensive range of services including equipment such as mobility and communication aids, an online advice/information forum for professionals, carers and patients, an emergency line and how to access support funding. With the power of speech often lost by sufferers, training is given in recording their voice messages early after diagnosis for later communication.
Emma has previously raised several thousand pounds for the MNDA with her sister and brother Ruth and Paul.
Emma added: “Having seen what my dad went through I want to raise awareness and money to help other families going through the same experience. MND is progressive and there’s no cure. As a family you feel helpless, but the Motor Neurone Disease Association is there to help and offer a great range of support and services for families.
“So, I’m participating in their next challenge ‘31 Miles In January’ to raise much-needed money for the association and will be walking and running each day with Annie our Tibetan Terrier. If anyone would also like to take part in the challenge it is not too late to sign up, and I’m happy for anyone to join us on our daily walk/runs – just get in touch.”
Emma’s Just Giving page is: www.justgiving.com/page/hedwig13
To take part in the challenge yourself use this link: https://fundraising.mndassociation.org/event/run-31