Dennis
MS sufferer Dennis tells us the story of his plant-fuelled fight against disease
“I’m not giving up”
After leading a very active, busy and enjoyable life; having served in both the armed forces (the paratrooper and the life guard divisions), and the Thames Valley Police, Dennis was diagnosed with Progressive Multiple Sclerosis and Ataxia, in 2004, at age 48.
“When the neurologist informed me of the diagnosis – having no knowledge of what MS was about – my immediate thoughts were of dying. It was explained to me that, because my MS was degenerative, if I was 100 per cent one week, but only 80 per cent OK the next, then I would only ever get back to 90 per cent again, never back to that original standard. And slowly, over time, this would worsen.
I still tried to continue mountain biking, keeping fit, and doing all the things I enjoy. But I was much more unstable on my feet and I kept falling off the bike – to the extent that I had to carry a first aid kit. This knocked my confidence, and I felt a burden to the group who I used to cycle with. From then on, I soldiered on alone.