OurStory

Help Us Make More Memories with My Dad

If you’ve found your way here, thank you for taking the time to read our story.

My dad has recently been diagnosed with Motor Neurone Disease (MND) – a devastating disease that slowly takes away a person’s ability to walk, talk, eat and eventually breathe, while their mind remains fully aware of everything happening around them.

Nothing prepares you for hearing those words.

My dad is only 46 years old.

He is the kindest, most selfless person you could ever meet. He’s the type of man who would drop everything to help someone else without expecting anything in return. Throughout my life, he’s always been my biggest supporter and has done everything he possibly could to help me and my family. Whenever we needed him, he was there. He’s worked incredibly hard his entire life to provide for those he loves, always putting everyone else before himself.

The past few months changed everything.

In October, my dad started struggling to speak. At first, it was barely noticeable. We thought it might be something simple that would pass.

By December, his speech had become more difficult to understand, and eating was becoming a struggle.

By February, I could only understand a few words here and there.

Then, in April, our world fell apart.

After months of fighting for answers, we finally met a speech and language therapist who recognised how urgent the situation was and fought to get my dad seen quickly. After further investigations, we received the devastating diagnosis of Motor Neurone Disease (MND), specifically ALS with bulbar onset (bulbar palsy).

Since then, his speech has almost completely gone. Eating has become incredibly difficult, and some days he chooses not to eat because it’s simply too hard. Walking is becoming more difficult too, and every day we watch this cruel disease take a little more from him.

One of the hardest things for me to accept is that I can’t remember what my dad’s voice sounds like anymore. I never imagined there would come a day when I wouldn’t be able to hear him say my name or tell me he loves me.

His grandchildren don’t fully understand what’s happening. They ask why Grandad can’t talk anymore. They’re now learning simple sign language so they can communicate with him and still share those special moments together.

At the moment, my dad uses his phone to communicate, but as his condition progresses he’ll need specialist communication equipment that allows him to speak using eye-gaze technology. This equipment, along with other adaptations he’ll need as the disease progresses, is incredibly expensive.

The journey to getting answers was far more difficult than it should have been. For months we knew something wasn’t right. We repeatedly asked for help because he was struggling to speak, struggling to eat and was losing weight, but we were left searching for answers while his condition continued to worsen.

Since his diagnosis, we’ve continued to face challenges accessing the support he needs. There have been delays with prescriptions for his nutritional drinks and other essential care, leaving him without the support he relies on. It has been an exhausting battle at a time when all our energy should be spent making memories together.

Sadly, MND has now reached the point where my dad can no longer work. His wife has also had to leave her job to become his full-time carer, meaning they have lost both sources of income while still facing everyday bills and the increasing costs that come with this cruel disease.

Watching someone who has spent his whole life looking after everyone else suddenly need help himself is absolutely heartbreaking. Watching someone you love lose their voice while their mind remains exactly the same is something I wouldn’t wish on anyone.

But despite everything, my dad is still here.

He still smiles.

He still laughs in his own way.

He still loves his family with everything he has.

As his daughter, you feel helpless. You want to fix it, but you can’t.

So I asked myself what I could do.

I created this page in the hope of easing some of the financial pressure on my dad and his wife, helping with household bills, specialist communication equipment, future care needs and any home adaptations he may need as his condition progresses.

More than anything, I want to give my dad the opportunity to spend whatever time he has left making memories with the people he loves instead of worrying about money. I want him to be able to enjoy precious moments with his wife, his daughter and his grandchildren without the burden of financial stress.

Every donation, no matter the amount, will help give my dad more comfort, dignity and peace of mind during the hardest chapter of his life.

If you’re able to donate, thank you from the bottom of our hearts. If you aren’t in a position to donate, simply sharing our story would mean the world to us and could help us reach someone who can.

Thank you for standing beside our family and helping us make every moment count.

For every bottle of lash cleanser sold, £1 is donated directly to this GoFundMe to help support my dad and our family throughout his MND journey. Every order means so much more than a purchase-it represents hope, kindness and people coming together to help.

With love,

Fern & Family