But there is one thing this award-winning real estate dynamo desperately wants that no money can buy or medicine can fix, and that’s for her uncle, Ian Bell, to regain his health.
Ian was diagnosed with motor neurone disease last year. In a matter of months the former principal of Carolans Real Estate in Nambour has gone from a fit and busy man to someone quickly losing his ability to talk and walk around.
And unless there isamiracle, he is not going to get better. It is only going to get worse. The disease takes away the ability to talk, walk and ultimately to even breathe.
Yet the ability to think, smell, taste and feel remains acutely real. Since her uncle was diagnosed, Amber has plunged herself into learning as much as she can about the disease and has become the ambassador for the Motor Neurone Association.
“Before my uncle was diagnosed, I had virtually no knowledge of MND,” she said. “I’d vaguely heard of it,
but that’s about it.
“When I found out he had it, I went on a mission to find a cure and look into alternative therapies. I soon learnt
that the diagnosis is quite grim and the future for many sufferers quite bleak.”
For Ian, mentally coping with the disease has been a long and difficult journey.
“Coming to terms with the diagnosis has been extremely difficult.” he said.
“I was physically and emotionally unprepared for the rapid progression and ferocity of the disease – but then
who can prepare for such life-changing news.
“It’s hard to believe that I was celebrating my 50th birthday last year with family and friends, enjoying a few
rums, lots of laughs and all this was ahead of me.
“It is debilitating, frustrating – mentally you are still active and alert, yet physically you progressively lose your coordination, speech and other basic functions a healthy person takes for granted.”
This week wasMotor Neuron Awareness Week and Amber and Ian agreed to share their story in the hope more people could learn about the disease, as with increased awareness comes the increased possibility of a
cure.
Amber is under no illusion that a cure will be found in time to save her much-loved uncle.
But maybe, just maybe it could save yours. And as Ian continues to struggle with the disease and face the changes in his life, he cannot help but wonder why more has not been done to find a cure.
“This is not a new or a mystery disease,” he said.
For more information about motor neurone, visit the website www.mndaq.org.au
Source: Sunshine Coast Daily, Saturday 9 MAy 2009, Page 14.
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