Lisburn News

Postie Dan dons his shorts for son's charity

Dan McAlinden presenting a cheque to Jan Beaumont of the MG charity.US0612- 109A0

A MOIRA postman has been braving the cold weather in his shorts as completed his rounds to raise awareness of a condition which his son suffers from — Myasthenia Gravis (MG).

Dan McAlinden delivered the post wearing his shorts for the entire month of December. His son Connor, 18, was diagnosed with Myasthenia Gravis around his eleventh birthday after many tests and much debate by the doctors. MG affects one in 10,000 people in the UK and often getting a diagnosis can be a lengthy and frustrating process. It can be confused with a stroke, brain tumour, motor neurone disease and other conditions.

Dan said he got some strange looks from people but it was worth it if it makes people think about MG. He said: I would like to thank the kind people of Moira who sponsored me and helped me raise £617 for the Myasthenia Gravis Association NI."

Today Connor's MG is managed and he lives a relatively normal life. He is in his final year studying his A levels. Myasthenia Gravis (MG) is an auto-immune disease, which causes a breakdown between nerves and muscles, and results in loss of effectiveness in the muscles of the arms, legs and eyes.

The name comes from the Greek and Latin words for 'grave muscular weakness'. Activities taken for granted by most of us become difficult or even impossible at times for myasthenics even simple things like eating food, lifting arms, speaking to friends or laughing. Although there is no known cure at present, drugs can successfully control symptoms.

Jan Beaumont, MG Regional Organiser said: "It is estimated that for every diagnosed sufferer of MG, there are at least two to three others whose condition is undetected. Raising awareness of MG is very important so that we can improve diagnosis, care for MG sufferers, and fund research into treatments and hopefully one day find a cure for this life altering condition..

Anyone wishing to support Dan can donate via his Just-Giving Page www.justgiving.com/danmcalinden. Or by post to Dan McAlinden Appeal, MGA, 4 Braemar Park, Bangor, BT20 5HZ.

Ulster Star
10/02/2012