Melissa does her bit for charity

Melissa does her bit for charity

29 January 2014

DOWNPATRICK teenager Melissa Leavy featured in a BBC Radio Ulster appeal for the MS Society. The 13 year-old, who was diagnosed with multiple sclerosis last year, was heard during the BBC Lifeline Appeal being broadcast on Radio Ulster  last Sunday and Monday.

The appeal focused on the impact diagnosis and living with MS can have on families and the MS research being funded by the MS Society to find better treatments and a cure for MS.

Melissa, a student at the Assumption Grammar School in Ballynahinch, lives with her mum Theresa, dad Martin and sister Kiera.

Her symptoms include fatigue, numbness and problems with her vision and Melissa says given the unpredictability of MS she never knows how it’s going to affect her.

“I don’t know if it will painful headaches, fatigue or numbness around my body; that’s just something my family and I have to deal with every day. When I was diagnosed, it was a big shock for us all,” she continued.

Mum Theresa says Melissa’s diagnosis with MS was very tough. She explained: “We went to the opticians on a Friday and came home from the Royal Hospital on the Tuesday with a diagnosis that Melissa had MS. For me, it’s hard to tell your child that they have something and you can’t do anything about it.”

The MS Society has supported Melissa and her family by providing information and support. The Society’s award winning publications provide information for people who are newly diagnosed and Theresa says they helped her to explain what MS is to Melissa and how it may affect her.

“When Melissa was diagnosed I made her promise me that she wouldn’t Google it. When most people think about MS, they think about being in a wheelchair, but MS is different for everyone. I wanted to make sure that Melissa got information that was reliable. That’s why we found the MS Society leaflets really helpful,” revealed Theresa.

Since her diagnosis, Melissa and her mum have been fundraising to support MS research.

Theresa continued: “Melissa said from the start that she wanted a cure by the time she was 35 so I said I was going to do all I could to help raise whatever money was needed.

“Our priority is to get a cure for Melissa and everyone affected by MS so we’ve had coffee mornings, participated in an abseil and a fire walk and now we’re taking part in the BBC Radio Ulster appeal. People have been so generous already and we’re really grateful for all their support. We hope this appeal will help the MS Society fund research to beat MS for good.”