Sadly Andy passed away in June 2022. He amazed us with his strength and determination even when his body wouldn’t let him do anything for himself anymore, he still managed a fundraising event on the 1st April 2022. His strength and determination is what continues to carry the family through this difficult time and we will continue his fight for a world free from MND.

This fightback page will remain open, it will be updated and events added. If you wish to hold an event, please add it to the page.

_____________________________________________________________________________

I was diagnosed on 19th July 2019.  I have been retired for about 18 months - for the last 15 years before retirement I was a Methodist Minister, for the previous 30 years an Accountant.  My wife is Ann and we have been married for 42 years, we have 2 grown up and married children living locally.

As a practicing Christian I know that God has not given me MND.  But I do know he helps and supports me and my family to cope with and manage this terrible illness.  It slows me down (and has stopped me playing the guitar) but I am still able to do a lot.  Before Covid I was taking Methodist services and preaching in my local Anglican Church; I travelled every couple of Months to London by train and taxi as I am a member of the Methodist Church Central Finance Board; I volunteered one morning a week at the Leamington Oxfam Bookshop and joined a community choir. Covid has stopped all of that and introduced me to a love/hate relationship with Zoom.

I have a wonderful and supportive family and good friends who I meet up with online now.

My conclusion: GOD IS GOOD!

I celebrated my 64th birthday in early December 2019. 

On the day of my Triathlon I was invited by Coventry and Warwickshire BBC Radio to appear on their breakfast show and drive time show to talk about my April fool event. Also MND Association asked us to video the event; we sent them our videos and they compiled a short video which they posted on social media.  Then on Good Friday I was asked to speak on Radio 2's At The Foot Of The Cross programme.  I've been able to upload the MND Association video and the Radio 2 clip to my fightback homepage, just scroll down to the events shown on this page, click on ‘see more events’ and you will find the reverse triathlon details.

Now my son has the bug, he ran 150K during May and raised £2,385 for this fund.

in July my son in law’s brother Mark in Sheffield ran 100k in a day! (that's 62 and  bit miles!) He raised £1,571 for this Fund.

in October my youngest brother Jamie had his shoulderlength hair cut off in a sponsored head shave for MND Association. He donated the hair to the little princess trust which provides hairpieces for children who lose their hair for any reason. His friends really supported him well as did members of our family and he has raised £1700 in total.

I'm almost speecless, so touched and proud of you guys! You have given so much up for me and others like me.

April 1st is here again so it’s time for another fundraiser from me. Remember last year’s reverse triathlon? This year I will do an electric wheelchair egg and spoon race (time trial) with my best friend Trevor Langley on April 1st. We will be using Cadburys creme eggs. Then on every day except Sundays in April I will walk 26 steps with my wheelie walker. This will make 26 days of 26 steps. A marathon of mini marathons.  Last year you generated sponsorship of over £8000. I’m not expecting to exceed that figure but anything you can donate will really help to push forward the MND Association’s efforts to break the back of this horrible disease.