My name is Anne Carroll from Co Louth. In May I was fortunate to attend the AGM and Patients/Carer’s week-end in Ballinasloe. For me, a person not personally affected by MND, I was given the opportunity to stand on the side line and quietly observe! I was impressed by the professional way the association is run. Their budget is being monitored and spent very wisely. While I was prepared for the AGM, and all the financial facts and figures which these meetings present, I was not prepared for the emotional roller-coaster which I travelled. I was in complete awe of the patients and their carers, especially touched by their courage in handling their circumstances. I was thrilled for the patients who had travelled on their own. I secretly celebrated with them for holding on to their independence. It was wonderful to witness the love and care which MND seems to stimulate within families. It is as if MND can be a trigger which causes a great ‘well of love’ to flow, igniting feelings of love and caring. It reaches and brings the best out of our very humanity as hearts open up. What can be more beautiful than to see husbands, wives, partners, families and friends caring with so much tenderness for each other. Wonderful characteristics of human compassion coming to the fore. Yes, a sight to behold. The emotional strength of the patients and carers has to be applauded. Their acceptance of their condition, and their ability to maintain their good humour and laughter was wonderful to witness and I was proud to be a part of it all. Their smiles on their faces told me it all. I left Ballinasloe with much admiration in my heart for them all. As I walked away from the hotel, I was filled with emotion. A desire rising deep within me to stand by them, to reach out and help them in what ever way I could. This united group of brave, warm, human beings deserved to be supported in every way. I know they didn’t want any ‘pats on the backs’ or ‘standing ovations’ but I felt like giving them one!

Sunday 21st June was Global Awareness Day for MND. The drink tea for MND campaign was launched. Here I was being presented with an opportunity to do my bit for the association. Filled with enthusiasm, I planned to host a ‘tea morning’. I live on the Cooley Peninsula and blessed to live among a group of people where the community spirit is alive and flourishing. Once the word got out that this charity event was taking place, I was inundated with offers from ladies to bake for the ‘tea morning’. As time progressed, so too did the number of ‘volunteer bakers’. With so much home-baking being produced, the event was extended to take place in the parish hall over two mornings and a cake sale was also introduced to the event.



Jimmy Magee was born and bred on our peninsula and his input into the advertising of this event was a wonderful help. Members of the association and patients led the way, going on radio stations speaking about the event, promoting the association. This all helped to pave the way, as I followed in their footsteps. The tea mornings on Saturday and Sunday were a great success. I was thrilled at the amount of money donated to the association. However, what thrilled me most was the support which people gave. Their interest in the association, the questions they asked, the little personal sacrifices which I knew they were making as they willingly put their generous donations in the box. Each person, their hearts touched as they learned about MND, and as their understanding of the disease grew, so too did their response in wanting to reach out to another human being and help in whatever little way they could.

No price could be put on this!!

There was a constant flow of people to the hall over the two mornings. Many memories I now treasure. I think of the cyclist, a stranger to the area, who just happened to be out for a Sunday morning cycle. He spotted the sign and called to the hall. Hurriedly he drank a cup of coffee, and put €10 into the box.

He disappeared off into the morning sunshine. A lady called to the hall, apologising for coming an hour before the official start time. She donated €50, didn’t wait for a cup of tea, took a cake of bread and off she went. Two little children, aged 9 and 11 spent the two mornings at the sink, helping with the washing up. Another little girl spent hours designing a sign to advertise the event. Carefully drawing tea cups and saucers. Those children eagerly wait for the next event to take place so as they can help patients with MND. Their comprehension of the disease may not be great, but their desire to help is so strong. Many people called, purchased cakes of home made bread, and donated more than the asking price. Such a wide variety of people calling, parents with young children, teenagers, middle-aged, and elderly folk. Each person who entered the hall were united in one thing. They all had the desire to reach out to people living with MND, and in their own way, put their shoulder to the wheel. They were showing in their own quiet unassuming way that they supported MND patients and were with them in spirit.

I learned a valuable lesson from the week-end. I learned that the majority of people are filled with compassion and love for other human beings. A lot of times, these feelings are hidden below the surface, but when an opportunity is presented for one person to help another, they rise to the occasion and do so willingly with a heart and a half. For a few hours on the Cooley Peninsula, all talk of economic recession was put aside, and the true spirit of the Irish people came to the fore. We are a tough race of people, and our ancestors in the past faced many tough times. It is bred into our nature to overcome obstacles. Those very obstacles are what gives us such strong characters. I have no doubt that we will continue to do what we Irish people do best, reaching out to others, supporting them, and helping them in what ever way we can. MND patients and your families, you are not alone. We are with you all the way!