Nome:  Ralph  Età: 24 yrs. old

Paese: South Africa

Sottotipo LGMD: LGMD2B

 

A che età è stata fatta la diagnosi:

I was diagnosed at the age of 23 – just after finishing my Rescue Diving Course.

Quali sono stati i primi sintomi:

I live a very active, adrenaline pumping lifestyle and after I noticed I was running slower and slower every day, I started training harder and harder as well.  But in the end my body just kept getting weaker and weaker.  After completing my diving I decided to get some help.

Avete altri familiari affetti da LGMD:

No, I am the only one and my family took quite a hit when they heard my diagnosis.  Didn’t affect me really.  Just saw it as another challenge.  But after a while, reality really sank in…if you know what I mean.

Quali sono, secondo lei, le sfide più grandi da affrontare nella convivenza con la LGMD?:

Acceptance.  The fact that I can’t do all the activities that I used to do is quite a challenge.  Hard to give up skydiving, white water rafting, and off-roading because it took too much strain on my arms and legs.

Qual è il suo più grande risultato:

Living the life most people dream of and being an inspiration to everyone around me.  When you have the right mindset and a strong will there is nothing you can’t accomplish.

There’s a story that inspires me to live a full life.  Publius Horatius Cocles was an officer in the army of the ancient Roman Republic who famously defended the Pons Sublicius during the war between Rome and Clusium.  The poem goes:  Then out spoken brave Horatius, the Captain of the gate:  “To every man upon this earth.  Death cometh soon or late.  And how can man die better than facing fearful odds.”

In che modo la LGMD l'ha influenzata nel diventare la persona che è oggi:

I always believed that I was unbreakable.  Since my diagnosis, I’ve realized that I am unstoppable.  There’s only life and death and by choosing life, my dreams are only a short breath away.  And I intend to close that gap.

Cosa volete che il mondo sappia della LGMD?:

Never look down on people who suffer from any form of a disease.  The mindset you need to live with and overcome such an obstacle might just be too much for you to handle.

Se la vostra LGMD potesse essere "curata" domani, quale sarebbe la prima cosa che vorreste fare?:

I would start running and never stop until my legs break because for the moment…I’ll be free!

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