Hello

We are Annie's family and we are asking for your help.

As you may know, Annie was formally diagnosed with Motor Neurone Disease (MND) in October 2023 after several years of increasingly severe symptoms. The initial diagnosis was the slower-progressing PLS - however, in recent months, this has been revised to the more aggressive form, ALS.

Annie's needs are becoming more complex and comprehensive. Kent Social Services have agreed to provide Annie with roughly 11 hours of social care per week - at a cost to Annie of £100 each week. We are also hopeful that the NHS will soon be providing nursing care - however, this will take several months to come through, if it comes through at all. It is a competitive fund, and even people with severe health conditions often miss out on at-home care. We are hopeful that the support will come, but we all know the strains that the NHS is under at the moment.

On top of this, Annie is in need of a motorised wheelchair which will allow her to move around the house, and outside of the house, with ease - including walking her beloved dog, Skye. Again, this is something the NHS will provide - but there is a waiting list of several months.

Those of you who know Annie will also know that asking for help goes against her nature and she is fiercely independent. We, her close family and friends, are helping her where we can, but there are increasingly things we simply cannot do, and for which we need outside help.

So, to bridge the gap until more help is provided, and in the instance that no more help is forthcoming from the state, we are asking for any donation you can spare to make Annie's life a little bit easier. We also know that times are tight for everyone at the moment, so please do not give money if you feel you are unable to.

However, if you do feel you can spare anything, any amount, no matter how small, will make an enormous difference to Annie's quality of life right now.

All money received will go directly to providing essential care and equipment for Annie. Any money that Annie does not use will be donated to the Hospice In The Weald, and to Motor Neurone Disease Association (MNDA) who have been incredibly supportive of Annie, and do incredible work for so many people affected by this horrible disease.

Thank you for taking the time to read this message.

With love

Annie's family xxx