Multiple System Atrophy Trust

"Steph, Rae, Ginny (tiny pooch) and I (Linzi) completed our 5K and it was a great day, we had so much fun and we raised a good bit of money between us, thanks to so many generous donations.

Steph has always been a fit and active man, playing football as a young man competitively and running many miles daily, even after long shifts just for the sheer enjoyment of it. He only stopped this in the past year and retiring due to disease progression.

He managed the 5K walk in 1 hour 12 minutes. But I would say he could have done it in an hour easy - he set the pace for us and was determined to not only do it, but do it well for himself. He was unsteady and I believe uncomfortable at times, but sheer determination (with a sprinkle of stubborn) got him through, without complaint and said "I should have committed to the 10k."

His family are incredibly proud of him, as are we; his clinical research nurse team - Linzi and Catriona, consultant Dr Vicky Marshall and specialist MSA nurse, Katie Rigg".

Thank you so much Steph, Rae, Ginny and Linzi for all of your wonderful fundraising!

If you are admitted to hospital please make sure you tell ward staff about our 'Hospital Staff Admission Guide'. This guide gives information about MSA, its symptoms and important things to know to ensure you are provided the best possible care.

You can find the guide here or we can post you out a copy - https://www.msatrust.org.uk/professionals/information-about-msa/factsheets/hospital-admission-guide/

We are delighted to share that The Hospital Saturday Fund awarded us a grant of £2,000 to support specialist services for people living with multiple system atrophy (MSA).

This generous funding will enable us to continue delivering our vital support services to all those affected by MSA.

"Charlotte and I took part in a 30 hour continuous 100km challenge along the stunning, but unforgiving, Jurassic Coast. Although the wind blew and the rain poured, we proudly raised just under £3000 between us for the MSA trust, a charity that is particularly close to both of our families. Bring on our next challenge!"

Thank you Hazel and Charlotte, for your wonderful support!

Last chance to get your tickets for our Summer Social at Sarah’s Wood on 4th July. Enjoy afternoon tea and a walk through Sarah’s Wood to see the Path to a Cure.

It’s a lovely event for both adults and children, and a chance to remember loved ones lost to MSA, meet other families, and support the Trust- https://www.msatrust.org.uk/get-involved/events/sarahs-wood/summer-social/

This we wanted to share our recent article in issue 74 of MSA news that features some tips on what you can do to support a loved one who is living with MSA, with suggestions from our community - https://www.msatrust.org.uk/support/support-services/msa-news-magazine/msa-news-issue-74/

Our Emotional Impact resource also includes suggestions on ways you can support emotional wellbeing as well as information about where to access help and support - https://msatrust.org.uk/support-for-you/for-people-affected-by-msa/living-with-msa-the-emotional-impact/…

We’re proud to announce that we’ve received a grant from Barnwood Trust This funding will enable us to continue providing free holistic support for all those affected by multiple system atrophy across Gloucestershire, creating positive change for disabled people in our community.

Are you planning your summer holidays soon? Our 'Travelling and MSA' factsheet looks at practical ways to ensure your holiday is as enjoyable and as stress-free as possible, whether you're travelling near or far.

You can find our factsheet here - https://www.msatrust.org.uk/support/living-with-msa/factsheets/travelling-and-msa/