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Awareness month for Charcot-Marie-Tooth
A SOUTH Yorkshire man with a neurological condition has urged people to get checked out if they think they might have the syndrome.
Simon Ball, aged 35, of Rotherham, made the plea as part of an awareness-raising month for Charcot-Marie-Tooth syndrome, which affects one in every 2,500 people.
It is characterised by a loss of muscle tissue and sensation of touch, predominantly in the feet and legs, but also the hands and arms as the disease progresses.
CMT is incurable but early diagnosis can help improve the lives of sufferers.
Sufferers say there is still a lack of awareness in the medical profession, which means diagnosis can be delayed.
Simon said: “I found out I had CMT through my granddad having it – he was given a 50-50 chance of it being passed down. My mum has it too.
“I was 25 when I was diagnosed, but I had noticed the ‘champagne bottle legs’ and flexible joints before that. I kept going over on my ankle, and my knee kept dislocating as the muscles weren’t strong enough.
“The awareness month is for people like me, who think ‘yes, that could be me’. ”
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Saturday 26 May 2012
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