MND sufferer to sail the Atlantic

This year is the 30th anniversary of the MND Association. MND Awareness Week takes place June 20 to 28.

Robert first developed symptoms of this degenerative and incurable disease in September 2007 but was not officially diagnosed until June 08. Motor Neurone Disease (MND) is a progressive neurodegenerative disease that attacks the upper and lower motor neurones and leads to weakness and wasting of muscles, causing increasing loss of mobility in the limbs, and difficulties with speech, swallowing and breathing. The most famous sufferer is probably theoretical physicist Stephen Hawking. Robert’s speech has been affected and he can’t actually speak at all now. However, he is continuing with plans to sail across the Atlantic in November as part of the ARC Race (Atlantic Rally for Cruisers) when he will be in charge of all navigation on his 57ft boat, a Beneteau 57. He will be taking part in the 2,600 mile race from Gran Canaria to St Lucia with four other crew members.

Robert does not have a sponsor for the race, the crew is paying for the trip themselves, but they are looking to raise money for MND and all money they raise will go straight to the charity. Robert tells me that no-one suffering from Motor Neurone Disease has every crossed the Atlantic in this way before.