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A brave member of staff from Liverpool Community Health NHS Trust (LCH) is preparing to take part in a cycling marathon to help raise money for the Motor Neurone Disease Association Merseyside – despite having a disability herself.
Carol McGowan, from Knowsley, will be undertaking the Merseyside MNDA Charity Cycle Ride on Saturday 28th July, covering 18 miles of the challenge using a special Arm Bike along the cycle route, in the hope of raising more awareness of the disease.
Motor Neurone Disease Association (MND) is an incurable condition that paralyses the muscles leaving people unable to do simple, everyday things that most people take for granted.
Carol McGowan says, “For someone with Motor Neurone Disease, even the simplest of tasks such as walking, talking and swallowing become virtually impossible, yet the mind and senses remain completely in intact – leading to incredible frustration.
“As someone who lives with the challenges of having a disability myself, this is a cause that’s very close to my heart.
Carol suffers from Hereditary Spastic Paraplegia (HSP), which is a degenerative genetic disorder involving the spinal cord that causes stiffness and progressive weakness in the legs.
Having worked for the NHS for 36 years, Carol spent many years as a District Nurse across Knowsley and Liverpool, until her own disability began to affect her walking.
She now works as a Student Placements Coordinator for LCH NHS Trust and also volunteers some of her time to the Motor Neurone Disease Association’s Merseyside branch, which was originally set up by her mum after her father died of the disease.
The Merseyside branch of the Motor Neurone Disease Association now serves people throughout Liverpool and Wirral who are affected by Motor Neurone Disease, as well as offering support to their carers, family and friends.
In order to prepare for her challenge, Carol has been training regularly with volunteers from Liverpool Community Health’s Cycle4Health team, a free guided cycling scheme around Liverpool’s green spaces and parks which runs year round to help people get moving again after a period of illness.
Carol adds, “By taking part in this challenge I really want to to raise as much sponsorship money and awareness as possible for the charity, which is run entirely by volunteers and does an incredible job in supporting people from Merseyside who are living with the disease.”
To sponsor Carol ahead of her challenge or make a donation to the charity, please visit: www.justgiving.com/mndmerseyside.
For more information about LCH, please visit: www.liverpoolcommunityhealth.nhs.uk
