A foster parent who was left "devastated" by his Motor Neurone Disease diagnosis is defying his condition to take on the gruelling Three Peaks challenge.
Nick Deane, from Shrewsbury, was an active man and an avid runner with the Shropshire Shufflers.
But in November last year, at the age of 57, he was given the "shocking" news that he has the debilitating condition which affects the brain and nerves.
Nick Deane, from Shrewsbury, was an active man and an avid runner with the Shropshire Shufflers.
But in November last year, at the age of 57, he was given the "shocking" news that he has the debilitating condition which affects the brain and nerves.
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NewsTranscript
00:00 How you doing folks, we're here in Shropshire and orange and blue is the new black.
00:08 Raising money for Motoneurone Disease Association.
00:11 What's the challenge that you're doing?
00:12 We're doing a three peak challenge, hopefully in 24 hours.
00:19 But above all enjoy it, be safe and raise loads of money for MND.
00:27 And this is inspired by your own personal journey really then isn't it?
00:32 Just fill us in on what's been happening in your world.
00:34 Well I first noticed the problem with my speech back in March.
00:42 By November I had the diagnosis and I was keen on raising as much money and awareness
00:54 as I can, while I can.
00:57 So you must have some strength in them legs to be carrying you up three peaks?
01:02 I still do, yeah.
01:04 Did the maths and then October 2022, so I still got a bit of something from that.
01:14 I remember having a little chat off camera, it took not that far off a year didn't it
01:19 from first symptoms to actually getting a diagnosis?
01:22 Yeah well over six months anyway from March to November.
01:30 And in terms of, once you get that diagnosis does it make a big change in terms of support
01:35 and what they can do?
01:36 Yeah that's when you get all your support from the MND Association, also obviously NHS
01:49 too.
01:50 So they've been looking after you the MND Association?
01:52 Yeah.
01:53 So you've got your gang here not just as moral support, you're going to be dragging them
01:57 up the hills with you?
01:58 Yeah well there's 39 of us so far, some from all over the place, but these are the good
02:09 folks.
02:10 Are you all fit and ready for this then or is this still a period of training?
02:14 Go on, let's chat to the group.
02:17 Not quite ready yet then?
02:18 All training at the moment.
02:20 Still training.
02:21 Where have you been training?
02:22 We've got a few peaks in Shropshire, has that been helpful in terms of reeking and stuff?
02:26 Yeah and in Dorf Fitness is it I think, in Bath and Field they're doing circuit training
02:30 every Saturday morning for those who want to go along.
02:33 And did I, 24 hours you're doing it in?
02:36 So does sleep come into that at any point?
02:40 No.
02:41 Sleep walking.
02:42 Sleep walking.
02:43 And special foods and all that I'm guessing?
02:47 Yeah.
02:48 And what do you do with 24, that's just going to, surely the exhaustion just from lack of
02:53 sleep is going to become, I mean I'm just trying to put you off in a head.
02:57 I mean it's going to be great, you're going to be fine.
03:00 So have any of you done anything similar to this before?
03:03 You've done any of the peaks?
03:04 I did the three peaks last year.
03:06 So you know what it's all about then.
03:08 So did you do it in a set time?
03:10 24.
03:11 Yeah.
03:12 Just under 24, 23.50 I think it was.
03:15 So you know how hard it is then?
03:16 It's hard, it's a good challenge.
03:18 It's a very good challenge.
03:20 You haven't scared these off then with your stories?
03:22 No, everybody's capable of doing it.
03:24 Yeah, well I don't know about that, I don't know about me.
03:27 Right well we wish you all the best with your journey with your diagnosis and more importantly
03:32 this journey up these three peaks.
03:34 Fantastic, thank you.