IN 1998, Bridge of Weir man Owen McGhee experienced his first symptoms of motor neurone disease (MND). He was told he had five years to live.

Two decades on, the 80-year-old is still defying the odds – proving that his life shouldn’t have limits, even if he does have a life-limiting condition.

For MND Awareness Month, Owen shared his story of battling this devastating disease with The Gazette.

MND affects the nerves in the brain and spinal cord that tell your muscles what to do. Messages eventually stop reaching the muscles, leading them to weaken, stiffen and waste.

When Owen was diagnosed, there was no treatment or medication, but he wasn’t prepared to simply succumb to it.

“I developed a theory that the body had a way of working around things if you kept doing that which it didn’t want to do,” he said.

“With a background of rowing experience, I developed a regime of high repetition activities to help keep my body active.

“I found I had a problem stepping up high steps, such as the boulders encountered on frequent solo ascents of Ben Lomond, so I replicated this at home by doing step ups using a chair.

“Eight weeks later, I could perform 1,300 step ups in groups of 100.

“For the first 16 years after my diagnosis, I was still involved in competitive rowing and did two sessions in the gym per week. The amazing thing was, while I was rowing, I did not have MND. Sadly, I had to give up rowing three years ago, as my balance made it more difficult to get into the boat.”

Even though Owen has had to stop rowing, his determination to overcome his struggles goes on.

Walking is one of his major concerns but he is still doing two to three walks a week, of up to two miles. He also struggles with speech but has turned to poetry and singing to help with this.

“Renfrewshire is a superb place and has given me ample opportunity to practice walking and cycling,” said Owen, who was born in Glasgow but has lived in Bridge of Weir for almost 50 years.

“I struggle with speech but have adopted a similar approach to training my voice as I have with my muscles.

“I found that, while I could not read out loud an article in the paper, I could read poetry and sing with much greater ease.

“I have committed several poems to memory and at one time performed 40 minutes of poetry and singing every morning before getting out of bed. I think I may hold the world record for reciting Tam o’Shanter!”

MND affects everyone differently and not everyone experiences all the symptoms, which can vary in terms of order and the speed at which they progress.

The prognosis varies, depending on the type of MND someone has and the age of onset, but it does significantly shorten life expectancy and is incurable.

Owen has admitted he is one of the lucky ones to have lived for as long as he has but he is determined to help those who are in need of vital support.

“I have been very fortunate and have had little need for outside support but I know that, should I need it, MND Scotland can provide me with equipment to help maintain my mobility,” Owen added.

“I had the privilege to serve as a board member of MND Scotland for seven years and latterly as vice-chairman.

“During this time, I met royalty, including the Queen, politicians, celebrities and an army of dedicated volunteers and staff, all making their own contributions towards support for sufferers and for finding a cure through research.

“They all gave me encouragement and support which has seen me hold off the worst effects of the disease for 20 years.

“I still have a mindset that is convinced of the effectiveness of my approach. My general health is good. I still drive around 6,000 miles per year. I do all the cooking for my wife and myself and use housework as a form of training.

“MND is not a ‘lifestyle’ disease where awareness can give guidance on how to avoid it but awareness is of value in helping to raise funds to feed research and to motivate those in positions of influence.

“So, please, get involved in the many activities organised by MND Scotland and give support to those locally who offer their own efforts by organising coffee mornings, sponsored challenges and many other innovative opportunities.”

To find out more about the condition and how you can get involved with raising money for MND Scotland, visit www.mndscotland.org.uk.

Alternatively, the charity can be contacted by calling 0141 332 3903 or via email on info@mndscotland.org.uk.