A football-mad dad-of-two was diagnosed with an incurable and fatal condition after accidentally tripping on his left foot. Chris Thurston used to play football and run half-marathons, but during a six-month period in 2017, he began to lose his balance.
Liverpool fan Chris, 42, thought the issue may be a "trapped nerve" in his leg - but it was actually something known as 'foot drop', one of the early symptoms of motor neurone disease, reports the LiverpoolECHO.
He was eventually diagnosed with the condition but felt his 'life was over' saying: "I was pretty devastated. You read everything and you start thinking the worst. You think, 'What's going to happen to my wife, my family my children? How long have I got? Will I be able to walk this time next year? It's one of the most devastating diagnoses you can probably get."
Motor neurone disease is a rare, incurable and fatal condition that mostly affects people in their 60s and 70s. It occurs when brain and nerve cells called motor neurones gradually stop working causing muscles to waste.
This can result in difficulty walking, talking, breathing and swallowing, sometimes bringing uncontrollable laughter and crying in inappropriate situations.
Chris said it's "quite difficult" to accept he can't do certain things anymore as the condition progresses. He struggles to walk without a frame and frequently needs a wheelchair. He added: "Probably the hardest is not being able to go for a run or play football with the kids."
He reflected: "Most of the time, I'm just pretty thankful I'm there at all really. There are people with this disease who don't have any of the life expectancy I've had, or hopefully will have. You've got to count your blessings even though you might say it's unlucky to have it."
The young dad is part of a Wirral-based support group, and he has an "incredible" volunteer from the Motor Neurone Disease (MND) Association to give him advice and help him access the right equipment and healthcare services.
But there's a shortage of volunteers, so the MND Association is looking for more. A spokesperson for the charity said: "Being diagnosed with MND can be devastating news for people and their families, often people find themselves not knowing where to turn. One service the MND Association provides is support using trained volunteers.
"These volunteers (called Association Visitors) work closely with families affected by MND. They are a vital point of contact and provide emotional support, information and guidance to help families access services and grants. This support can be very rewarding for an Association Visitor and can make a huge difference in coping for those people affected.
Find out more information about volunteering opportunities with the MND Association from www.mndassociation.org/getinvolved.
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