A brave family dealing with their mother’s diagnosis of Motor Neurone Disease has raised £12,050 for Pembrokeshire-based charity The Paul Sartori Foundation.
Ann Evans from Dinas Cross was diagnosed with the life-limiting condition MND in 2021 and her husband Steve and their five sons have rallied around Ann through the stages of her illness, showing incredible strength and resilience.
With MND, messages from the motor neurons in the brain and spinal cord gradually stop telling muscles how to move, leading to a series of life-altering and life-limiting complications. The Paul Sartori Foundation was glad to be able to assist the family with equipment that could help Ann with mobility and comfort.
Paul Sartori Senior Registered Nurse Gaynor Davies has also been supporting the family for the last few years.
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“The Evans family have all shown extreme bravery in the face of Ann’s diagnosis and are an incredible example of a strong family unit. Ann’s husband Steve has ensured that Ann has the best care possible, and her sons and their families have gone above and beyond to help other families who find themselves in the same circumstances”.
Ann’s sons, Aled, Billy, Ceri, Hefin, and Gwyn, set up a fundraiser earlier this year. The brothers wanted to do something to honour their mother’s courage, so set themselves individual challenges to raise money for the Paul Sartori Foundation.
Ceri undertook the Welsh 15 Peaks Challenge with friends Xav, Andy, and Simon, hiking all 15 peaks higher than 3,000 feet in Eryri in less than 24 hours. Billy ran 5k every day for a month, which is akin to running from Fishguard to Cardiff! Gwyn, who lives in New Zealand, undertook a mini-triathlon in Whangarai on North Island, managing a 2k sea swim, 25k cycle, and 8k hike. Aled and his friends Ed and Phil hiked 21k along the challenging ridge of Bannau Brycheiniog National Park.
Aiming to raise £5,000, the boys, whose children also joined them for their challenges, were overwhelmed by the show of financial and moral support for their cause. Having more than doubled their fundraising amount, the donation now goes to help buy equipment to help other families dealing with mobility issues due to life-limiting palliative illnesses such as MND. With the money raised, the hospice at home charity will purchase two beds with specialist mattresses and rails. Ann had also received a high-tech chair from the Motor Neurone Society and with the money raised, The Paul Sartori Foundation will be able to buy the same chair to help other patients in the future.
Clinical Coordinator and Equipment Facilitator Pat Coombs was invited to meet the family and thanked them for the incredible amount donated to the Equipment Hire department at Paul Sartori.
Pat said, “With the help of this brave family we’re able to help and support other families with specialist equipment that will give people the best quality of life and as much dignity as possible in their hour of need.”