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AUTUMN 2026 InTouch | 11 continue. Sharing my experience became a way to create awareness and connection. That realisation is what inspired me to write my memoir, Finding My Sunny Side . In this book, I share what it was like navigating my primary and high school years with DM1; the exhaustion, the frustration, the emotional weight of feeling different, but also the strength and growth that came from adapting to life’s challenges. I wrote this memoir to offer readers an honest perspective on living with DM1 every day. My hope is to increase awareness, promote understanding, and most of all, offer encouragement to others facing similar challenges. I want people living with invisible disabilities, particularly DM1, to feel less alone. And I hope readers without lived experience walk away with greater empathy and insight into what life with muscular dystrophy can look like. I can’t undo my diagnosis, but I can rewrite the narrative of my own life. Written by Lauren Turnbull REWRITING MY STORY WITH DM1 To read more about Lauren’s story, you can purchase a copy of her book on Amazon. Go to https://tinyurl.com/7sua59ut to order your copy. The Bradley Jenkin Memorial Fund helps MDANZ members with a neuromuscular condition receive funding for access opportunities and specialised resources that enable them to achieve freedom. The fund has helped members purchase specialised sports equipment, participate in sporting events, it has contributed towards the cost of obtaining a mobility dog, provided mobility equipment, and assisted with career development such as university and course fees. Applications close: January 31 • April 30 • July 31 • October 31 The Bradley Jenkin Memorial Fund Funds must be spent within three months. For criteria, info and to apply, go to www.mda.org.nz > What We Offer