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20 | InTouch WINTER 2023 MY RELIEF AT A DIAGNOSIS “When asked what advice she would give new members, Glennis thinks you need to be forceful when it comes to getting answers from medical practitioners and health professionals. “If you are not getting answers, keep at it and find a way to get people to listen. Nobody knows your body like you do so trust your instincts. Find someone that really suits you.” stay busy at home as dealing with my condition on my own at home is not easy,” she says. For Glennis, she finds winter hard as “going outside to do anything brings the threat of getting wet and cold” so she bases herself indoors. Keeping busy is paramount and she spends a lot of her time reading, knitting or keeping in regular contact with her friends. “I catch up with friends during the week and I find we help each other keep the “I have a really good rapport with my GP and feel that I can discuss anything with them and feel heard, so I think that’s important. My neurologist Richard Roxburgh is fantastic and always seems to be coming up with new research on the condition.” Glennis tells us. Glennis has also received help through MDA with counselling sessions and her Fieldworker, Lynn Williams, has assisted Glennis in getting personal care support through the Taikura Trust with showering support, in case she falls Continued ... right mind-set and stay positive and proactive about overcoming challenges in our lives. You can always find a way through things, you just have to figure out how,” she shares. When asked what advice she would give new members, Glennis thinks you need to be forceful when it comes to getting answers from medical practitioners and health professionals. “If you are not getting answers, keep at it and find a way to get people to listen. Nobody knows your body like you do so trust your instincts. Find someone that really suits you.” she says. in her bathroom. Glennis also loves to read the In Touch magazine as it helps her to realise that she’s not the only one going through this. “Plus, it’s a good support and resource to keep me up to date,” she said. Despite her challenges, Glennis’ optimism is evident and it’s clear the key to her happiness is staying busy. “If you find you cannot do things because of your condition, find a way around it. Push those boundaries and be resourceful to achieve what you want to achieve, and you will benefit from it. Most importantly, chin up and keep going”, she says bravely. SUPERCHARGE YOUR GENEROSITY Turn a $25 donation to MDA into a $33 donation! To sign up or find out more visit www.supergenerous.co.nz/ superpartners/muscular- dystrophy-association Did you know, that if you donate $5 or more to Muscular Dystrophy Association you are eligible for a $33.33% donation rebate? If you struggle to getting around to claiming your donation rebates, then you’ll be excited to learn more about our new partnership with Kiwi social enterprise Supergenerous. Their online platform automates the process of claiming donation tax rebates, and what’s really cool is it gives you the option to regift them to us. It’s an easy way to make your original donation go a bit further and makes a huge difference towards helping our members.