New Year Celebration

Saturday January 23rd saw a well attended branch meeting take place at the Holiday Inn Oxford. Not only was this the first get together of 2010 but an opportunity to hear about the Berlin International Symposium on MND which had taken place in December.

Dr Kevin Talbot spoke with enthusiasm about the symposium and the huge opportunities it presented for scientists, doctors and researchers to explore and discuss latest research findings together. From the symposium Jenny Rolfe, occupational therapist, explained how she is now planning to map out individual needs and types of wheelchair a person may require at different stages of their journey.

The local branch has been delighted to be able to raise funds for the provision of three cough assisters. The cough assister was demonstrated by Liz Bellido and Jenny Rolfe. Liz explained how the cough assister worked and how it can be of huge value to people with MND in specific circumstances. Dr Kevin Talbot reinforced the value of these machines. Thank you to everyone who has helped with fund raising.

During the afternoon cheques were presented by Chris Boyer to David Cairns for the local association on behalf of her husband’s memorial.

Pieteke Marsden delighted us all with a musical interlude singing and playing her guitar adding yet another dimension to the occasion.We hope you will come again! Everyone enjoyed a chat and homemade refreshments following the music which is always a special opportunity for catching up with friends.

What a fantastic and special start to 2010!

Donation

AWE Aldermaston made a very generous donation of £5000 to the Oxfordshire Branch of the MND Association.

About the Branch

The Oxfordshire Branch of the Motor Neurone Disease Association is dedicated to providing help and support to people in the area affected by MND including their carers, families and friends.

Our aims are to raise funds and increase public awareness of the disease. We cannot achieve these aims without volunteers, and we need as many as possible, even for the smallest tasks. Please visit our Volunteers page to see how you could become involved.

We have a close relationship with Health and Social Care Professionals in our area such as Speech and Language Therapists, Occupational Therapists, Physiotherapists, Dieticians, Social Workers, Medical and Care Staff. Some of our volunteers attend the MND Care Centre at the John Radcliffe Hospital in Oxford.

Among the support services we provide is a team of trained Association Visitors who will visit families when requested. The Branch also holds regular Family and Friends meetings for people living with MND and their carers. These give people an opportunity to meet with others who are living with the disease, and to share experiences and ideas.

Fundraising and raising awareness about MND in the general public are also very important aspects of Branch activities. For meetings and events planned for the next few months please visit our Events page.

We are always investigating ways in which we can help. Our Support page provides information on a number of Support Services available nationally and in the Oxfordshire area. We have also collected together a number of items of interest on our Information page. This provides links to other websites, information about books and other materials that may be helpful, and some advice on things such as travel, technology, and mobility equipment.

For details on how to contact members of the Branch, a map of the area covered by the Branch, and links to adjoining branches, please visit our Contacts page.

The Branch is one of over eighty local groups that are affiliated with the National Motor Neurone Disease Association. For information about the work of the Association (founded in 1979) and up to date news about research into the disease and advances in care, please visit the website at www.mndassociation.org.