“Peter suffers from Motor Neurone Disease (MND). It is an uncommon condition that affects the nerves. It causes weakness that gets worse over time.”
I recently had the pleasure of meeting Peter Chambers.
Peter lives in Melbourne but is currently marooned in Noosa. He and his wife went there for a holiday for a month, but then were beset with the lockdowns. He was quite cheerful telling me, “there are worst other places to be stranded”. This epitomises the positivity in which he lives his life.
Peter suffers from Motor Neurone Disease (MND). It is an uncommon condition that affects the nerves. It causes weakness that gets worse over time.
Over the next few weeks, we will bring you through a series of video links and podcasts that he and his support team have produced. They’re called “I Choose Happiness”.
They are truly inspirational; they take you into his life and that of his family and friends.
Rather than being the story of depression and sadness, Peter has turned his condition into an inspirational journey of hope and resilience.
Watch Peter’s story below
There’s no cure for MND, but there are treatments to help reduce the impact it has on a person’s daily life. Some people live with the condition for many years.
MND can significantly shorten life expectancy and unfortunately, eventually leads to death.
Symptoms of Motor Neurone Disease
Symptoms of motor neurone disease happen gradually and may not be obvious at first.
Early symptoms can include:
- weakness in your ankle or leg – you might trip, or find it harder to climb stairs
- slurred speech, which may develop into difficulty swallowing some foods
- a weak grip – you might drop things, or find it hard to open jars or do up buttons
- muscle cramps and twitches
- weight loss – your arms or leg muscles may have become thinner over time
- difficulty stopping yourself from crying or laughing in inappropriate situations
Who gets motor neurone disease and why?
Motor neurone disease is an uncommon condition that mainly affects people in their 60s and 70s, but it can affect adults of all ages.
It’s caused by a problem with cells in the brain and nerves called motor neurones.
These cells gradually stop working overtime. It’s not known why this happens.
Contact https://www.mndaustralia.org.au for further information.
