Sussex patients, carers and volunteers unite to raise funds and awareness for Motor Neurone Disease, with Brighton bank holiday walk on Sunday 28 May

On Sunday 28 May, the West Sussex North branch of the Motor Neurone Disease (MND) Association will unite with two other local branches – West Sussex South, and East Sussex – in our annual Brighton bank holiday walk. Come along to meet and support patients, carers and volunteers, who will be walking along the Brighton and Hove seafront from 2pm, to raise funds and awareness for MND.

Sussex MND Association supporters are looking forward to this year's Brighton fundraising walk

Members of the West Sussex North branch of the MND Association – which includes Sussex towns Horsham, Crawley, East Grinstead, Haywards Heath and Burgess Hill, as well as the Surrey areas of Horley and Smallfield – are looking forward to this year's fundraising walk along the Brighton seafront, on Sunday 2pm.

Combining with branches covering West Sussex South and East Sussex, patients, carers and volunteers will set off at 2pm, from the promenade by The Big Beach Café, in Hove Lagoon. From there, we will head down to the i360 and the West Pier, before heading back to Hove again.

As well as able-bodied adults, there will be wheelchairs, pushchairs, children and dogs. The volunteers will be resplendent in blue and orange MND Association T-shirts and other regalia, to raise awareness of MND, as well as much-needed funds through a bucket collection. So anyone who wants to come and lend their support should not have any trouble spotting us!

50% of those diagnosed with this devastating, incurable neurological condition sadly pass away within 2 years of diagnosis. It takes away the ability to use your limbs, to speak, to eat and, ultimately, to breathe. MND should not be thought of as a rare condition; the lifetime risk of getting MND is 1 in 300.

The effect of MND on younger people and their families is clear from the recent media coverage of famous sportsmen, such as Rob Burrow (rugby league), Stephen Darby and Marcus Stewart (football), and Ed Slater (rugby union). And of course, also from rugby union, the much-missed Doddie Weir, who passed away last November. Their stories illustrate the urgent need for treatments to slow the condition, and ultimately to find a cure.

This is a great opportunity to meet MND Association supporters, patients and carers, and to lend your support, so do please come along. For further information please check our webpage (https://www.mndwestsussexnorth.com/meetings-events/brighton-walk-2023), or contact:

Julie Taghan - West Sussex North e.g. Burgess Hill, Crawley, East Grinstead, Haywards Heath, Horsham [email protected]

Readers can also donate at justgiving.com/fundraising/mnda-wss