Why I walk.

I just finished the MDA Muscle Walk Fund Raiser.  They asked me to give a short speech on “Why I walk”.  Here it is.

I received my diagnosis in 1999. I was told at the time there was no cure and no treatment;  that it would get worse, never get better, and I would eventually end up in a wheelchair.  I am one of the lucky ones, the progression of my disease has been slow. Now in 2013 I can no longer work, walk, or drive, and I am in a power wheelchair full-time. Is it easy? No. But I do it because I have to.  I am very lucky to have a husband who has stepped up to become my caregiver.

 I do believe that attitude is everything. I try to keep that good attitude, and mostly I succeed. That's not to say that I never have my moments because I do. There are days that I just want to sit in a corner and cry. But I don't let that go on for very long. I keep myself active and in touch.   That is one reason I become involved with MDA. It brings me purpose and the feeling that I'm doing something useful.

 Why do I walk?   Or in my case roll?   I think it is to bring awareness to the community. I am told that there are over 40 different kinds of muscular dystrophy. MDA has no federal or government-funded. All of their funding comes from individual donations and fund   raising like the upcoming muscle walk. While other organization such as the breast cancer organization gets lots of publicity and everybody knows about it, MDA is primarily associated with the Telethon and children. Not many people are aware that MDA serves the adult community also.   MDA has helped me in so many ways. They provide up to $500 a year toward repairs to my wheelchair. They help fund the MDA clinic at St. Joseph's in Phoenix. And I go there once a year to see my neurologist. The money that they raise also goes to fund research, so that someday there will be a cure or a treatment. Perhaps not in my lifetime, but for others who come after me