Pat West was diagnosed with Motor Neurone Disease (MND) in September 2014. This came as a huge shock to all who know her, as she has always been one hundred percent fit and healthy. She was a PE teacher for over twenty years and in her early twenties showjumped to a high level (competing against Pat Smythe) and also dived for her country. In her later years she played tennis competitively and even played at Wimbledon as a veteran.

The onset of her illness began at the beginning of 2014 when her speech became impaired. She then found it progressively more difficult to swallow and having had everything else ruled out, was diagnosed with ALS along with Bulbar Palsay. By the end of the year she could no longer speak or swallow. She had a stomach tube fitted to feed her in November.

Her deterioration has progressed at much the same rate and looks set to continue. Rowcroft Hospice have been extremely supportive and our heartfelt thanks go to them for all of their help so far. MND is a rare condition that affects around two in every 100,000 people in the UK at any one time. There is currently no cure for MND.