We are delighted to be running the Virgin London Marathon 2014 on behalf of an amazing Multiple Sclerosis (MS) charity named MS-UK. And we would both genuinely appreciate all the support we could get in smashing the target that we have set of raising £3500.

 

There is some great information below that will give you a deeper understanding about MS-UK, what they do, and how the money raised will help them. Accompanying this is some information about MS generally, and why we have chosen to help support this charity. At the bottom there are a number of useful links to share should you require more information on MS or the charity we are supporting.

 

The target of £3,500 is ambitious, however with your support and through a number of fundraising events that we hope to hold, we are confident that we will be able to exceed this target and and have a fantastic time in doing it!

 

This really is a sensational cause and every penny really does help! :-)

 

About MS-UK

 

MS-UK is a charity dedicated to providing advice, information and support to anyone affected by multiple sclerosis; that means families, carers, health professionals, friends and colleagues as well as the person with MS.

 

MS-UK understands the challenges that are felt by people living with MS, whether they are emotional or practical ones. Their aim is to help you deal with those challenges in the best way for you. They won’t tell you what’s right or wrong – they will simply give you the information and allow you to decide. There are no subjects that are “off limits” and their advisors offer support to help individuals manage their MS.

 

What is MS?

 

Multiple sclerosis (MS) is a disease affecting nerves in the brain and spinal cord, causing problems with muscle movement, balance and vision. Each nerve fibre in the brain and spinal cord is surrounded by a layer of protein called myelin, which protects the nerve and helps electrical signals from the brain travel to the rest of the body. In MS, the myelin becomes damaged. This disrupts the transfer of these nerve signals, causing a wide range of potential symptoms, such as:

 

loss of vision – usually only in one eye

spasticity – muscle stiffness that can lead to uncontrolled muscle movements

ataxia - difficulties with balance and co-ordination

fatigue - feeling very tired during the day

 

Types of multiple sclerosis

 

• Around 8 out of 10 people with MS will have the relapsing remitting type of MS.

• Someone with relapsing remitting MS will have periods of time where symptoms are mild or disappear altogether. This is known as remission and can last for days, weeks or sometimes months.

• Remission will be followed by a sudden flare-up of symptoms, known as a relapse. Relapses can last from a few weeks to few months.

• Usually after around 10 years, around half of people with relapsing remitting MS will go on to develop secondary progressive MS.

• In secondary progressive MS, symptoms gradually worsen and there are fewer or no periods of remission.

• The least common form of MS is primary progressive MS. In this type, symptoms gradually get worse over time and there are no periods of remission.

 

Treatment

 

• There is currently no cure for MS but there are a number of treatments that can help.

• Relapsing remitting MS and secondary progressive MS can be treated with disease-modifying drugs. These are designed to slow the progression of the disease and reduce the number of relapses. But they are not suitable for all people with MS.

• For example at the moment, there is no treatment that can slow the progress of primary progressive MS. There are also a wide range of treatments, including steroid injections and physiotherapy, that can help relieve symptoms and make day-to-day living easier.

 

Causes

 

MS is known as an autoimmune condition. This is where something goes wrong with the immune system (the body’s defence against infection) and it mistakenly attacks healthy body tissue – in this case, the myelin covering of nerves. This can cause multiple sections of the brain and spinal column to become damaged and hardened (sclerosis), which can disrupt the nerve signals passing through these areas.

 

Exactly what causes the immune system to act in this way is unclear, but most experts think a combination of genetic and environmental factors are involved.

 

Outlook

 

MS can be a challenging and frustrating condition to live with but new treatments over the past 20 years have considerably improved the quality of life of people with the disease. MS is not fatal, but some complications which can arise from more severe MS, such as pneumonia, can be. As a result, the average life expectancy for people with MS is around 10 years lower than the population at large

 

 

Why support MS-UK?

 

As a charity, MS-UK have limited funds and do all that they can to make those funds stretch as far as possible. The vast majority of their funding comes from the generosity and fundraising of their supporters. MS-UK receives no statutory funding. No matter how much or how little you can give – either through a donation or through fundraising – rest assured that your money will make a real difference in someone’s life. When you raise funds for MS-UK you are doing more than handing over money. You are making life more fulfilling, rewarding and comfortable for people affected by MS.

Here’s what your donation might help MS-UK provide:

 

• Specialist MS Advisors

• Access to a welfare rights and benefits advisors

• Subscription to the MS magazine, ‘New Pathways’, that provides advice and support

• A range of single subject leaflets called ‘Choices’

 

MS-UK is completely impartial; they don’t endorse any drugs, products or treatments in order to gain sponsorship. MS-UK does not prescribe any one particular course of action, but recognise that everyone who has multiple sclerosis is an individual with unique needs. Their aim is to help people to maximise their potential.

 

How we plan to raise money?

 

Asides to our Just-Giving donations we intend to hold a number of fundraising events over the coming months, these include a pub quiz, a cake sale, a bingo night, a charity clothes and vintage bric-brac sale and potentially even a silent disco. Fancy dress on the marathon day and even shaving Anand's head completely bald are also other suggestions being considered!! ;-) If you have any great ideas, or wish to get involved in any way, shape or form, then please do drop either of us a line!

 

For more information on MS-UK, please visit http://www.ms-uk.org/ where there is a wealth of information on the charity itself along with some great links in order to understand more about MS as a disease.

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Thanks for taking the time to visit our JustGiving page. Donating through JustGiving is simple, fast and totally secure. Your details are safe with JustGiving – they’ll never sell them on or send unwanted emails. Once you donate, they’ll send your money directly to the charity. So it’s the most efficient way to donate – saving time and cutting costs for the charity.