Our nurse specialists support people after initial diagnosis and support them as they learn to live with the disease that will ultimately take their life prematurely. As Gill and Paul told us, when they searched the internet for information about the condition, they frightened themselves “half to death”. It was the MSA Trust that helped them to understand what MSA was and where to get support and advice.
Paul and Gill explained that it costs MSA Trust £200 every day to provide one nurse specialist, who will talk to people with MSA or their carers on the phone, meet them at clinics, hold support groups where they can meet other people experiencing the same condition and share information. The wonderful sum raised by Radio 4 listeners means we can provide 195 days of nurse specialist time during this year. As all our nurse specialists are funded entirely through voluntary contributions, we are incredibly grateful to be able to maintain our work within the MSA community particularly through this difficult year.
The work of the MSA Trust did not stop during the pandemic and our nurse specialists moved all their services online. During the period of April to September 2020, 44 online virtual support groups were held, nurse specialists responded to 11,000 email queries, took 1400 telephone calls and attended 21 clinics virtually.
Thank you everyone who so kindly donated. Your generosity and support enables MSA Trust to continue its work supporting people with MSA and for that we are eternally grateful.
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Multiple System Atrophy Trust Gill Wheeler presents the Radio 4 Appeal, 16 August 2020