Hi all!
My name's Arran - I'm 23 and I found out that I have the SCA6 gene in December (it runs in my family), and I decided that between now and when my symptoms start, I should start to really live my life. So... I quit my job and started my own marketing agency. You only live once, right?
As of last month, I now also run the Ataxia support group in Preston. We meet on the last Thursday of every month, and I've invited physiotherapists, pilates instructors, speech therapists and a wonderful woman who creates personalised walking sticks and crutches so that people with disabilities can still express themselves. It's a great opportunity to meet other people who know what you're going through, and we've found that everyone really appreciates not having to explain their symptoms to one another! You don't have to live in Preston to meet us - we've got members from as far away as Skipton, so please get in touch if you'd like to get involved
I've watched my father's symptoms progress for the past five years, so it's been tough to imagine that I'll be going through the same thing soon. Because ataxia is so rare, we didn't consider that there would be people close to home who are just the same, but since starting the group it's been amazing to find new friends right on our doorstep
