Motor Neurone Disease
Understanding what MND is - what it actually does to a person - is one way to honour Maddie's journey and what she went through.
What is MND?
Motor Neurone Disease (MND) is a rapidly progressive and terminal neurological condition that attacks the motor neurones - the nerve cells in the brain and spinal cord that control movement. As the disease progresses, people lose the ability to move, speak, swallow, and eventually breathe.
MND does not typically affect memory, intellect or the senses. People with MND remain fully aware of their surroundings and who they are, even as their body fails them. This is what makes the disease particularly cruel.
Symptoms
- Muscle weakness, twitching, or stiffness - often starting in a limb
- Difficulty speaking or swallowing
- Muscle cramps and fatigue
- Weakness in hands, feet or limbs that progressively spreads
- Difficulty breathing as the disease advances
Who does it affect?
MND can affect anyone at any age, though it is more common in people over 40. Around 2,100 Australians are living with MND at any one time. Most people live for 2 to 5 years after diagnosis, though some live much longer.
Is there a cure?
There is currently no cure for MND. Some medications can help slow progression in certain patients, and research is ongoing. MND remains one of the most challenging diseases facing medical science today - which is why the work being done by research and advocacy organisations matters so much.
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