이름:  Ralph  나이: 24 yrs. old

국가: South Africa

LGMD 하위 유형: LGMD2B

 

몇 살에 진단받으셨나요?:

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

첫 증상은 무엇이었나요?:

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.

다른 가족 중에 LGMD를 앓고 있는 사람이 있나요?

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.

LGMD와 함께 생활하면서 가장 어려운 점은 무엇인가요?:

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.

가장 큰 성과는 무엇인가요?:

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.”

LGMD가 지금의 자신을 만드는 데 어떤 영향을 미쳤나요?

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.

LGMD에 대해 전 세계에 알리고 싶은 내용:

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.

내일 LGMD가 "완치"될 수 있다면 가장 먼저 하고 싶은 일은 무엇인가요?:

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

더 많은 'LGMD 스포트라이트 인터뷰'를 읽거나 다음 인터뷰에 출연을 신청하려면 다음 웹사이트를 방문하세요: https://www.lgmd-info.org/spotlight-interviews