Neil  Lonergan of Hattersley, Hyde was diagnosed with Multiple Sclerosis in 2000. He is currently having a difficult time due to  recent relapses of his condition. Neil has difficulty walking, with his balance and with fatigue. He attends the Trafford Multiple Sclerosis Therapy Centre (TMSTC) for oxygen and other therapies – none of which is currently funded by the NHS. Neil carried on working full time with MS and eventually had to move to part time hours for a further 3 years and has now had to give up work due to this debilitating condition.

Neil has found out about a new treatment which is now offered in the UK. The operation is known as CCSVI (Chronic cerebrospinal venous deficiency) The operation is not currently funded by the NHS and Neil is hoping to raise funds from supporters in the local community and beyond to help meet the costs of the treatment. A series of events are planned and family and friends have pledged their support to carry out sponsored events. See facebook for details of forthcoming events (search Neil Lonergan)

Neil and his family have always supported their local community. Neil is currently the chairman of the Hattersley Football Club and helped secure 1 million pounds of funding to set it up. He was awarded the Stalybridge & Hyde District F.A Volunteer of the year award, and then won the overall Volunteer of the Year award for Cheshire County in 2006 and the North West community volunteers’ award in 2007. Neil was voted a local sporting hero in 2008.  In 2007 the then Culture, Media and Sports Secretary James Purnell said MS sufferer Neil’s perseverance in saving a troubled local football team was a shining example to everyone. Mr Purnell, then MP for Stalybridge and Hyde, told Labour delegates he was launching a campaign to recruit thousands of volunteer coaches ‘just like Neil’.  Neil has contributed to many local fundraising activities for local youngsters including raising over £6000.00 in one day for local youngster Jamie Tregaskiss. Both Neil and his wife were instrumental in setting up the Hattersley children’s football club and Neil currently manages the under 15’s boys’ team. There are currently 123 children from age 6 and up associated with the club. Neil works tirelessly on promoting and fundraising for the football club. In 2008 Neil and his wife, Karen raised over ten thousand pounds to take 42 youngsters and their families to Holland for an international 5 day tournament.

Neil said “This operation could change the quality of my life and that of my family. It’s a little bit of light at the end of the tunnel for me. I’d love to go back to work and to continue the work I do with the local community.”

If you would like to donate to Neil’s appeal visit

www.justgiving.com/Neil-Lonergan

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