A father of two was diagnosed with an incurable and fatal condition after tripping over his left leg.
Chris Thurston played football and ran half marathons, but for a period of six months in 2017, he began to struggle to balance and stop on the rails or stumble on his left leg. LFC fan Chris, 42, thought it might be a “trapped nerve” in his leg, but it’s actually something known as a “leg drop”, one of the early symptoms of motor neurone disease, which he was diagnosed just before Christmas that year.
Like the famous physicist Stephen Hawking, the Wirral man’s condition was early. He felt that his “life was over” after the diagnosis, saying, “I was quite upset. You read everything and you start thinking the worst, you think, “What will happen to my wife, my family and my children? How much time do I have? Will I be able to go at this time next year? This is one of the most devastating diagnoses you can probably get. ”
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Motor neurone disease is a rare, incurable and fatal condition that mainly affects people in their 60s and 70s. This happens when brain and nerve cells, called motor neurons, gradually stop working. This leads to muscle exhaustion, which leads to difficulty walking, speaking, breathing and swallowing. Sometimes it causes uncontrollable laughter and crying in inappropriate situations.
Chris said it’s “quite difficult” to accept that he can’t do more certain things as the condition progresses. He struggles to walk without a frame or without a wheelchair if he is at a great distance. He also can’t help washing or mowing the lawn at home. Chris said: “Probably the hardest thing is not being able to go out and play football or run or play football with the kids. This is the hardest thing, I would say, just having to watch while they play. You just find different ways to get involved in these things. “
He lives his life as normally as possible, still helps with his son’s football team, attends his matches and takes his children to watch the Liverpool match at Anfield. Chris tries to stay positive and not think too far ahead, saying, “Most of the time, I’m pretty grateful to be there at all. There are people with this disease who have no life expectancy I have had or hope to have. You have to count your blessings, although you may say it’s bad luck to have them. ”
Given how young he was diagnosed and how unpredictable motor neurone disease may be, it is difficult to estimate how long Chris’s life will be or how the condition will progress. He can still be here in 10 years and has a lot of support to help him. He is part of a support group based in Wirral and has an “amazing” volunteer from the Association for Motor Neuronal Diseases (MND) to give him advice and help him access the right equipment and health services.
But there is a “small shortage” of these volunteers in places like Liverpool, so the MND Association is looking for more. A spokesman for the charity said: “Diagnosing MND can be devastating news for people and their families, often people do not know where to turn. One service provided by the MND Association is support with the help of trained volunteers.
“These volunteers (called Visitors to the Association) work closely with families affected by the MND. They are a vital point of contact and provide emotional support, information and guidance to help families receive services and grants. This support can be very rewarding for a Visitor to the Association and can make a huge difference in the treatment of those affected.
“The MND is currently recruiting more visitors to the association to provide this basic support, especially in the Liverpool, Sefton, St. Helens, Wigan and Warrington areas. If you think you may be able to help or want to learn more about volunteering opportunities with the MND Association, please visit our website, www.mndassociation.org/getinvolved, or contact Paula Sutton (Support Coordinator of the district) by email paula.sutton@mndassociation.org or Tel Paula on 01604 800 639. ”
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