Eccles mum with MND never expected 'devastating' diagnosis

Anna and Martyn said they would not let her condition hold them back

A mother-of-three has said she never expected someone her age would develop motor neurone disease (MND) after she was given the "devastating" diagnosis.

Anna Barrow, from Eccles, was diagnosed more than a year ago after experiencing a tingling feeling in her left hand following an injection in 2021.

MND is a debilitating condition that affects the brain and nerves, and there is currently no cure.

"You just don't think it will happen to you," the 39-year-old said.

Speaking about her family's support, she said "as long as we laugh more times than we cry it's a good day".

Doctors initially told Anna her symptoms were side-effects of a Covid vaccine that would probably go away after a year, but later tests and scans during a lengthy hospital stay revealed she actually had MND.

"I work with adults so I've seen a lot of disabilities, with MND I'd only really seen it twice and both were older men, so you just don't think it will happen to you," she told BBC Radio Manchester.

"It was devastating really."

Martyn and Anna renewed their vows after 17 years of marriage following her diagnosis

Her husband Martyn said his wife went to hospital after developing problems swallowing and breathing, with an "amazing" nurse keeping Anna in for tests after spotting something was wrong.

Anna was diagnosed on the week of the Coronation of King Charles III in May last year, and said she knew immediately following a call with the hospital that it would not be good news.

"When she said I really want your husband to be here when I tell you, I knew it was grim."

Martyn is now a full time carer for Anna, but the pair have decided not to let MND, which causes weakness that gets worse over time, hold them back.

"When we were sat in the room after the diagnosis we said we would deal with this as we deal with everything in our family, with humour," she said.

Anna said she was "determined" to renew her wedding vows while she could walk

The 39-year-old said it had been difficult to go from being "completely independent to relying on Martyn for a lot of stuff".

"My girls help with my hair and make-up, I use adapted cutlery," she added.

'Different battles'

Anna and Martyn have praised the impact of a Coronation Street storyline, which follows the MND diagnosis of character Paul Foreman, played by Peter Ash.

"When I first got diagnosed I was shocked by how many people didn't know about it, the only comparison really was Stephen Hawking and that's not what I am like", Anna said.

"Now we can say to people it's similar to Rob Burrow or the guy from Coronation Street, it makes it more accessible to people".

The couple said the soap's story had raised "massive amounts of awareness", but said the character's experience had been "different from Anna's".

"It is only showing certain aspects, but the battles are different," she said.

"In Coronation Street, he got a stair lift really quickly, but that's not how it happens in real life.

"But the more people who are aware and talking about it the better."