SPRING 2010
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Registered Charity 294354
Welcome to our Spring Newsletter
We would like to extend a warm welcome to any new members of the South Yorkshire Branch who are reading this for the first time. We send out our newsletter every three months to keep you up to date with events within the Motor Neurone Disease Association, both locally and nationally. Nearly 350 copies of the newsletter are posted out to Branch Members, Health Care Professionals and others around South Yorkshire so please get in touch if you have any information to pass on or anything which you think may be of interest or help to others in the Branch. You will see from the newsletter that it is a good way to advertise events or to let people know what has been happening to raise awareness of MND in our area. You will find a list of contacts at the back of the newsletter with telephone numbers and e-mail addresses, including the e-mail address for our local web site.
The South Yorkshire web site is another way of keeping every one informed of the activities within the local area and for passing on information. The site is kept up to date and also includes links to other sites of interest, as well as a link to the main MND site.
You can find it at www.mndsouthyorkshire.org
If you no longer wish to receive the News Letter or it has come to a wrong address could you please let me know so that our mailing list can be updated.
Michael
The South Yorkshire Branch of the Motor Neurone Disease Association has the sole aim of helping those in the area who are affected by MND. This includes people with MND, their carers, family and friends. You will see as you read this News Letter that a great deal of money has been raised over the last few months swelling the Branch bank balance. Money in the bank however is not the aim, it needs to be used. We are able to help in many ways including help with transport, (i.e. taxis), the purchase of equipment, helping to fund a holiday and many other ways. So please contact us we really want to help.
The Committee
Chairman’s Report
Things have been fairly quiet as far as the Branch is concerned over the Christmas period. The Rotherham Open Meeting in early December was well supported and we had a lovely afternoon and made short work of Kath and Joyce’s mince pies and other goodies. At the Sheffield Meeting the speaker was Dr. Emily Goodall, a member of Professor Shaw’ team. She had recently attended the International Symposium, which this year was held in Berlin. The Symposium is an annual event organised by the Association and attracts the top scientists worldwide who are involved in motor neurone disease research. The exchange of knowledge at such a prestigious gathering must be incredibly valuable in the battle to find a cure for the disease. Dr. Goodall’s talk, whilst quite technical’ was delivered in language we could all grasp and we certainly appreciated her spending the time to come and talk to us.
As was mentioned in an earlier News Letter we have entered into a trial arrangement with the Cavendish Centre to determine whether we can work together to give complimentary therapies to patients with MND and their carers. People who attend the Centre are being offered the same service and range of therapies as is available to cancer patients. The pilot project is now halfway through and more and more MND patients and their carers have taken the opportunity to access this service which is part funded by the Branch. There is no doubt that the various treatments have given a lot of comfort and pleasure to the people who have used the facilities so far. The trial is enthusiastically endorsed by Professor Shaw and Hannah Hollinger and her colleagues at the Hallamshire. Hannah works in close liaison with Lynn Seymour the head of therapy services at the Cavendish to facilitate the project jointly. Anyone who has not yet taken part and would like to try one of the therapies just contact Hannah on 01142261490 or via e-mail h.hollinger@sheffield.ac.uk and ask for more information.
Gordon
Therapies available at the Cavendish Centre include: - Acupuncture, Aromatherapy, Art Therapy, Counselling, Homeopathy, Hypnotherapy, Massage, Medical Herbalism, Reflexology, Reiki, and Shiatsu.
Treasurers Report
What a busy year it has been. So much has been happening to generate new sources of income and we have also been relatively successful in spending that income. For the financial year ended 31 January 2010, donations totaled £26,060 including amounts from the Fencing Contractors Association (£5,000), Taylor & Emmet (£2,080) and Kier (£2,500). Kier are accumulating additional funds for us that we will receive later this year and we are especially grateful to the above organisations for their tremendous support. Events during the year produced income of £25,774, the main contributor being the Sheffield Half Marathon which produced £19,311, making the total income £51,834 (2009 £28,144). It is more pleasing to report that we have spent much more helping people living with MND, £25,285 (2008 £14,510). Our contribution to central funds this year is £12,246 (2008 £6,832). These contributions enable National Office to support the Branches in so many ways. At the end of the year, our bank balance stood at £27, 436 which puts us in a strong financial position. These excellent results reflect the immense effort that so many of you have put into fundraising for our Branch. Thank you one and all.
Paul
Student runs Sheffield Half Marathon to raise awareness of mum’s disease
When most teenagers finish their A-Levels, they feel relief, excitement and joy. But even with an offer from Cambridge University, Silverdale student Kirsty didn’t feel like celebrating.
At the end of months of hard work, Kirsty’s parents, Philip and Mandy, had to explain that her mum had been diagnosed with Motor Neurone Disease (MND), a secret they had been keeping from her while she finished her exams.
But following help and support from MND Association South Yorkshire last year, Kirsty is saying thanks by pulling on her running shoes between study sessions to train for the SIG Insulations Sheffield Half Marathon. With her uncle, Bryan Westerman, from Aston, and her school friend Grace Owen, from Mosborough, the group hopes to raise money and awareness for the Association.
Kirsty said: “I knew something was wrong while I was revising. Mum was having tests in the hospital and nurses mentioned her symptoms to me, but I didn’t understand the seriousness of them.
“When they did tell me, I didn’t really know what MND was. It took me a few months to come to terms with mum having it, but in hindsight I’m glad they held back from telling me.”
Kirsty left Silverdale High School with four A’s at A-Level, and successfully got onto her history course at Cambridge University’s Magdalene College.
“We’re a really close family. I’m an only child and mum and I used to do lots of things together like art and craft when she was well enough,”
Kirsty said: “It was difficult to tell friends what was wrong with mum. I would have to explain what MND is to them because like me, they didn’t know much about it. Hopefully doing the Sheffield Half Marathon will raise some more awareness of the disease and of South Yorkshire MND Association, because they’ve been really helpful.”
When Kirsty is home from her studies, she takes her mum to MND Association South Yorkshire meetings where people dealing with the disease come together.
“It’s nice to meet and talk to people in similar situations. It’s hard to find people that understand because it’s such a rare condition, but there, you don’t need to explain.
“I really love it at Cambridge. It’s nice that the terms are only eight weeks long, I come straight home and spend time with my mum and I probably spend as much time at home as I do at university.”
Mandy said: “I am immensely proud of Kirsty, she's not a sporty girl but she's getting those running shoes on and doing her stuff. Kirsty is the most beautiful and thoughtful daughter Philip and I could ever have wished for.”
If you want more information and /or an entry form for either the Half Marathon or Fun Run contact Ann Quinn.
Make MND matter at the general election.
The MND Association believes that a National Strategy for MND is urgently needed to ensure that people with MND receive the best possible care.
For more information see the “Winter” edition of Thumb Print or log on to the MND national web site.
Fund Raising & Social Events
Past Carers Group
An informal “Past Carers” Support Group has been meeting on an occasional basis. The Group has met at local garden centres and more recently at the Millennium Galleries in Sheffield for a coffee and a chat.
From now on the meetings are to be held on a regular basis in the Millennium Galleries on the second Sunday of every even month. The next of these get togethers will be on
Sunday April 11th at 2-00pm
and then on
Sunday 20th June 2010 at 2-00pm
( Please note 20th June is 3rd Sunday in month)
If you would like more details please contact Olga.
Sheffield Half Marathon 2010
Sunday April 25th
Pre event briefing for those who have volunteered to help on the day will be held at the Don Valley Stadium on
Wednesday 14th April at 7-00pm
Loxley Brass Band
For the third year we have again booked the Loxley Band along with Christina and Michael.
Saturday May 15th
Please note change of date for above event.
Donations to the Branch are always welcome and provide a large part of our income. If you wish to make a donation please contact the Branch Treasurer:-
Paul Hebblethwaite
55 Newfield Lane,
Dore, Sheffield, S17 3DD
Tel 0114 2363222