A Novel Challenge

Imagine one day, you start to feel tingling throughout your body. A month or so later, whole areas of your body feel numb, and other areas are still tingling. Imagine losing your balance, or uncontrollably slurring your speech without explanation. Imagine going to the doctor, and being referred to a specialist. Now imagine being told you have Multiple Sclerosis (MS), and that the symptoms you are experiencing may continue to degenerate, or you may experience paralysis, blurred vision, bladder and bowel control issues, and tremors. Okay. You can stop imagining now.

For some people, that is the reality of their lives. For those people, it can be so hard to get through days when MS, without warning, attacks their central

nervous system. It must be hard for MS sufferers during episodes to keep going - to keep trying to enjoy life. Usually, there's not a lot I can do to help. But for July, August, and September, I can do something to encourage them to NEVER GIVE UP! I can read.

I am participating in the 2011 MS Readathon Novel Challenge to help fundraise for research to find early intervention measures, and a viable a cure, and services to improve the quality of life for people who have been diagnosed with MS.

My first book will be Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets. I read the first book in the Harry Potter series some time ago, and enjoyed it thoroughly. And with the final movie out soon, I felt it was a good time to get stuck into the others.

At first, I will aim for the modest target of $300, but if I can get close enough to that amount and I still have plenty of time until the end of September, I may increase my target appropriately.

Visit http://register.thenovelchallenge.org.au/The-Novel-Challenge/AllyGraham or see me to donate.

Thank you for your support. Please help me to send the message to MS sufferers that they should never give up