MS Research & Relief Fund, Morpeth, UK

The MS Research and Relief Fund (MSRRF) is a UK registered charity based in Morpeth, Northumberland.

Multiple Sclerosis is a condition affecting the central nervous system. It is the most common disabling neurological disease among young adults and affects around 85,000 people in the UK. MSRRF support all people affected by MS in the north of England and  nationally and provide services for people affected by MS, including complementary therapies, and gentle exercise programmes. Included within the exercise programme is the rehabilitation gym, which allows users to exercise on Shapemaster’s Easytone range of equipment.

The equipment can be used actively or passively so is suitable even on the days when users feel most fatigued.

Deborah, one of the therapists commented “This equipment has made such a difference to so many of our service users. One lady actually cried the first time she used it, she couldn’t believe how wonderul it felt to have her body moved. I also worked with another service user who had bladder weakness when she started coming. After just 6 weeks of using the equipment she'd regained the majority of her bladder control, to be able to make that difference to someone’s life is enormous.”

Most service users coming in will use the gym for around an hour and staff have been trained to help people to use the equipment. They also use hoists to help people get safely on and off. Service user, Frances, who has been coming to the gym for 5 years says “The biggest difference for me is that it loosens my muscles. Everything always feels very tight beforehand, but after an hour with the equipment, my muscles feel so much more relaxed.” Frances visits the centre with her husband, who helps her use the equipment. “I just feel so much better afterwards, at least then if I’m tired or fatigued I feel like I have a reason for it.”