About
What is MND?
Motor neurone disease (MND) is a rare condition that progressively damages parts of the nervous system.MND, also known as amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), occurs when specialist nerve cells in the brain and spinal cord called motor neurones stop working properly.MND, attacks certain cells in the brain and spinal cord needed to keep our muscles moving. Motor neurones control important muscle activity, such as gripping, walking, speaking, swallowing and breathing.As the condition progresses, people with MND will find some or all of these activities increasingly difficult. Eventually, they may become impossible. The senses, including hearing, sight, smell, taste, and touch, are not affected by MND.
Who is affected?
There are 5000 people at any one time in the UK with this fatal neurological disease. It's not clear what causes motor neurones to stop working properly.
How is it treated?
There's currently no cure for motor neurone disease. Treatment aims to:​
Make the person feel comfortable and have the best quality of life possible
Compensate for the progressive loss of bodily functions such as mobility, communication, swallowing and breathing
Why is it important we raise money?
There are two areas that are equally important to raise money for;
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Those living with MND who need help and support.
As the disease process advances, patients become reliant on others for assistance with activities of daily living. This can be physically and emotionally demanding for families and carers and patients can experience feelings of guilt, frustration and hopelessness.
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Finding an effective treatment.
This urgent unmet medical need for effective treatments for this devastating and fatal disease is the basis for the research and drug development effort. Currently, there is only a single medicine for specifically treating MND – Riluzole which can have some effect on its progression.
Who is helping find a cure?
The Motor Neurone Disease Association (MNDA) is the leading UK charity for people affected by the condition and it is working tirelessly to raise funds for more research and clinical trials to help more patients every year. Professor Talbot is leading the Stem Cell Research Project that Alie’s fund raising will support.
Kevin Talbot qualified in medicine (MB BS) with Distinction from the University of London and trained in Neurology in London and Oxford.
He joined the laboratory of Professor Kay Davies in 1995 to work on the childhood motor neurone disorder spinal muscular atrophy.
He leads a multidisciplinary team providing a clinical service for patients with motor neurone disease from all over the South of England. In 2010 he became Professor of Motor Neuron Biology and his research focuses on using human stem cells to model the disease and to search for effective new treatments.