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This summer, I'll be jumping out of a plane!! I'm doing this to raise money for Neuromuscular Centre Midlands (NMCM), a charity I've been involved in and passionate about since its establishment in 2012. I hope you'll join me in supporting the charity by sponsoring my Skydive and help fund the vital therapies that the NMC Midlands Centre and team are providing for people with muscular dystrophy (MD) and neuromuscular conditions.
Following is a bit about my experience and why I'm so committed to supporting the charity's work and mission:
I started experiencing muscle weakness when I was 11 but was not diagnosed with a form of muscular dystrophy until I was 18. While I have tried to stay active and independent, I never focused much attention on maintaining muscle function or strength since there is no treatment or cure to stop or reverse muscle deterioration from MD and exercise/stress on muscles could possibly accelerate deterioration. It was only once I started volunteering with NMCM that I discovered that while there is no cure or treatment, there is a quite a lot that can be done to maximize and maintain muscle function/strength to manage or slow the effects of progressive muscle loss. It can be done with carefully structured and targeted exercises/therapies provided by clinicians with specialist knowledge and experience with neuromuscular diseases.
I wish such therapies had been available before I deteriorated to the point of needing a wheelchair full-time. While therapies can't stop progression, I might have been able to stay walking longer. The meaningful improvements for myself and others with MD - physically, mentally and emotionally - has inspired me to continue supporting the charity as Chair of Trustees and find ways to keep the charity funded and growing so that it can help more people, especially in earlier stages of the disease, to maintain muscle function and stay active and independent.
Thank you!
