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Four friends' 110 miles walk challenge for FMA UK
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- Category: General Information
- Published on Thursday, 31 March 2016 13:21
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On the 16th April Gregg Morrish, Will Ayling and Simon Stannard will walk from Winchester to Eastborne to raise funds for Fibromyalgia Action UK, while Tony Pritchard will raise funds for the RNLI. They have already raised almost £1,000. Gregg told us: ‘’I have decided to trek for this charity because it supports people suffering from fibromyalgia, just like my friend Hayley Graham. I’m doing this walk for her as currently there is no cure for fibromyalgia’’.
Hayley said: ‘’I am, along with thousands of other people, a fibromyalgia sufferer. Fibromyalgia can affect anybody at any age, although between the age of 30 and 50 is most common and women seem to suffer eight times more than men. It is a debilitating condition with excruciating pain throughout the body. It is a widespread musculoskeletal pain and fatigue disorder for which the cause is still unknown. 6 years ago I was a primary school teacher running around the playground during PE lessons, swimming 40/50 lengths at the swimming pool 3 times a week before going to work. Now my day consists of a cocktail of medicine including morphine to help me get through the day.
My personal pain levels range from a good day where, for example, I may have aching muscles, spine and hip pain with itchy skin to a bad day where my pain is so bad I can’t even get out of bed. It is excruciating! Bones feel like they are crumbing with barbed wire wrapped round each one and it being pulled so tight, glass shards stuck in the bottom of my feet, a burning feeling throughout my body that is just indescribable, severe headaches and much, much more. I cannot walk without crutches and I have had to have adaptations to my home such as a wet room installed and hand rails in various rooms. I am 44 and desperately need new approaches towards the treatment of fibromyalgia as I will not give up hope that ....this can’t possibly be my life now?
Gregg, and friends, after seeing my deterioration over the past few years, have been so kind to do their annual charity walk for Fibromyalgia Action UK. More up to date treatments need to be found for sufferers, which will then hopefully lead towards a cure’’.
Gregg adds: ‘’There are sponsorship forms in Screwfix at Lakeside in THurrock as well as opportunity to donate online via my JustGiving page. Many thanks to family and friends and to Screwfix at Lakeside for the support and kind donations, it means a lot. It also makes the blisters, the tears and all the pain worthwhile’’.
To sponsor Gregg & the team visit their JustGiving page: https://www.justgiving.com/Gregg-Morrish2
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Our professionally printed Information pack on fibromyalgia can be found here to view. You will also receive a free copy on request. We also have a booklet for young people with fibromyalgia that you can obtain on request and will be on the website soon.
FMA UK has recently changed some of its telephone numbers for helplines and groups. Please check here for more information on the New Contact Numbers if required.
FMA UK offers a range of support and information including:
- National Helpline 0300 999 3333 (10am - 4pm Mon - Fri)
- Benefits Helpline 0300 999 0055 (10am - 12pm Mon, Wed and Fri)
- Complimentary information booklets for doctors and other professionals (fully referenced)
- Books and videos
- Website Contacts with legal specialists
- Conferences
- Local support group and helpline contacts
The charity is run by volunteers, most of whom have fibromyalgia.
If your Health Care Professional needs some education in fibromyalgia you can request that an FMA UK Health Professionals Pack is sent out to them. All we need is the name of the Health CareProfessional and the address of their practice. We will then send a pack to their surgery addressed from us to them.
You can request a medical pack using this form.
You can find a Support Group near you by contacting the Regional Coordinator for your area. If there does not happen to be a support group near you then maybe you can join with some other members and set one up. Support groups provide a social benefit as well as the opportunity to share tips on coping with fibro. They come in all shapes and sizes and we are often told how they have helped people.
