Ester, a nine-year-old girl, raises over £2000 for MNDA by running a 10k around Membury. 

Ester planned this fundraiser in memory of her grandfather, Frank Pearse, a beloved active local farmer from Park Farm Membury. Frank passed away in 2019 from Motor Neurone Disease leaving behind his wife Claudia and three grown up children, Danny, Catherine and Philip. Ester accompanied by her mother, Catherine, ran 10k around the Membury area on October 22nd. 

They raised funds for the Motor Neurone Disease Association. This Association focuses on improving access to care, research and campaigning for those people living with or affected by motor neurone disease

The last 2 km of the race was joined by many friends and family who ran and cycled to support the cause. Despite her young age, Ester found the energy to sprint the last distance, with her six-year-old brother Rowan, cousins, aunts, and uncles struggling to keep up. 

Following the run, lunch, tea, and cakes were served, which helped raise an additional £860. Ester's aunts and friends worked tirelessly to keep the food flowing from the kitchen. On top of this, the Membury Community Oak Apple Cafe donated £200, which was raised from all the cafe sales the following week. 

Ester expressed her gratitude to everyone who donated, joined her and encouraged her along the route. She said, "The amount of money raised was amazing, and we are so grateful that this money will go to MNDA and help other patients & families to deal with MND."

If you would like to add a few pounds to this incredible association, please follow the just giving link. 

Motor Neurone Disease, known as MND, messages from the motor neurones gradually stop reaching the muscles. This leads the muscles to weaken, stiffen and waste, which can affect how you walk, talk, eat, drink and breathe. Some people also get changes to their thinking and behaviour, but the disease affects everyone differently. Not all symptoms will affect everyone, or in the same order. Symptoms also progress at varying speeds, which makes the course of the disease difficult to predict.

MND is life-shortening and there is no cure. Although the disease will progress, symptoms can be managed to help achieve the best possible quality of life.