My Mother died of MND and FTD (Motor Neurone Disease and Frontotemporal Dementia) aged only 65! we've since found out that my Mother was a carrier of a newly discovered gene known as C9ORF72 which now means that myself and other family members may carry the gene and genetic testing has been offered to us. My Uncle (my Mums brother) also died of the Diseases too in 2010 and its now believed my Grandfather also died of a form of the Disease back in 1971 but back then MND/FTD wasn't diagnosed. Obviously this Charity has played a big part in our lives through my Mums illness and may help us in future years! MND is a rapidly progressive and fatal disease, which can affect any adult at any time and attacks the motor neurones that send messages from the brain to the muscles, leaving people unable to walk, talk or feed themselves. The cause of the disease is unknown and there is no known cure. Around 5,000 people in the UK have MND at any one time, with half of people with the disease dying within 14 months of diagnosis. It kills five people every day in the UK. The Motor Neurone Disease (MND) Association is the only national organisation in England, Wales and Northern Ireland dedicated to the support of people with MND and those who care for them. The Association funds research to understand what causes MND, how to diagnose it and, most importantly, how to effectively treat it so that it no longer devastates lives.