Amanda CassidyCathy Smith, a 43-year-old wife and mother to three beautiful children aged between seven and thirteen, tells Amanda Cassidy the story of her diagnosis. Cathy hopes to raise awareness of the disease and its symptoms.
I became so frightened. Immediately MND came into my head. I started Googling symptoms and it turns out I was hitting most of them. Around this time the journalist, Charlie Bird, came out with his diagnosis. He had some of the same symptoms as me.electromyographies I came home and told my parents. I am their only child. There was complete devastation.
. This is known as neurodegeneration. Motor neurones control important muscle activity, such as: gripping, walking and swallowing. This means patients meet members of the MND team including doctors, Nurse specialists, physiotherapists, Occupational therapists, Speech and language therapists, Dietitians, neuroscientists and neuropsychologists. Specialist clinics of this kind have been proven to improve quality of life and outcomes for patients.