New technology funded by Lancashire Teaching Hospitals Charity will enable people living with Motor Neurone Disease (plwMND) who are under the care of the Lancashire and South Cumbria  MND care and research Centre, to communicate more easily with their families, carers and clinicians. The Charity has purchased two iPads, funded by a generous grant of £3,243 from The Alan Davidson Foundation, and ten LCD colour writing pads, at a cost of £468 from charitable donations. The new equipment will be used by patients being cared for by the specialist MND team at Lancashire Teaching Hospitals.

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. MND affects the nerves that control movement (motor neurones) so that muscles no longer work.  As nerves are attacked, messages gradually stop reaching muscles and this can affect speech, swallowing, movement, and breathing. The equipment will also be invaluable to the team during off-site clinics or when visiting the patients in their own home.

Wendy Bennett, MND Specialist Nurse says, “Many of the people we look after who are living with this disease develop speech difficulties and it is therefore harder for them to communicate. The LCD tablets will make a big difference with this, helping to improve their confidence and independence and enhancing their quality of life as a result.”

Dan Hill, Head of Charities says, “It is a privilege to be able to fund these valuable communication aids. We are proud to be able to support our MND community, aiding their quality of life as much as we can. I’d like to thank the generosity of our supporters and The Alan Davidson Foundation, it’s donations like these that make things like this possible.”