MARK'S ALS FIGHT

You may have already heard from colleagues, mutual friends or have seen it on Facebook but Mark has been having serious health issues.

 Mark has always been a very active and healthy person, going to the gym and running on a regular basis in a running group at work and has played Ultimate Frisbee at a very competitive level for almost 30 years.

 Two weeks after Grand Masters Nationals Ultimate Frisbee Championships in July 2015 Mark still felt really tired and didn't seem to be recovering as normal. In the weeks following Mark had trouble moving forward when he stood up from his desk at work. He went to the doctor and the doctor gave him steroids which help for about two weeks, after this the walking issues returned. He was also having trouble running on both the treadmill and outside.

 He went back to the doctor and underwent an MRI. It was clear for any kind of tumors. The doctor then recommended that Mark visit a Neurologist. The neurologist ordered a more extensive MRI and a barrage of blood tests. Everything came back negative- this meant that it was something more serious.

Mark then went to a second neurologist for an EMG and yet more tests. After all these tests, Mark was diagnosed with ALS in late December 2015.

 ALS is a terminal disease and is also known as Lou Gehrig's disease or Motor Neuron Disease. The disease progress is very fast. Mark has gone from being able to walk in December to using a walker in March to using a power scooter in April. More than likely he will be confined to a power wheelchair in the next month or so.

ALS is a fast progressing disease that essentially prevents muscle control and movement so that the muscles atrophy. This means that you are not able to control your movement or even move and eventually suffocate as the muscles in the diaphragm stop working.

 For example, last year at this time he was getting ready for Grand Masters National Ultimate Frisbee championships. Training hard and in peak physical condition and this year Mark is working hard on just getting out of bed every day.

 Having said all that Mark is still hopeful of a medical breakthrough in the treatment of ALS. Mark is also participating in the trial of medication that looks promising in preventing muscle loss which will allow him to live a little longer.

We all have these great plans for our lives - He was hoping to enjoy watching his two daughters grow up and flourish and to grow old with Rowena.

Sadly, to say Mark is now having to accept that will not happen and instead he needs to say goodbye to friends.

Even though we have good medical insurance and donations from ALS support groups we are having to purchase a number of things to help Mark get around and be able to live as " normally" as possible with this disease.

For example, we have had to purchase wheelchair ramps for the house, electric scooter, redo paths and doorways into the house. In the next month we will need to buy a power wheelchair and probably a wheelchair enabled vehicle. As Mark becomes less able to help lift himself we are having to purchase a powerlift to help get him in and out of bed and the wheelchair.

 Inevitably there will also be unforeseen medical expenses and equipment that will not be covered by insurance.

 As such we would like to ask for any financial help you are able to provide to help us with these items.

We will continue to provide updates on things as best as we can. In the meantime love your family everyday as you just don't know what your future holds.