In memory of...

Sam's sky copyright Ian A Griffiths


This book might never have been published if it wasn't for my friend Sam Morgan. It was so devastating when he died in 2010, that day it was like I couldn't think I just sat there quiet and upset. At the time my book was a manuscript on my computer, after a number of rejections I was about ready to stop trying. What happened next was totally unexpected. After Sam's funeral, his parents Colin and Debbie so kindly gave me the donations from the funeral and with them my book was self published! It more importantly kick started me into action, to which I am absolutely grateful to them and Sam and to God. Thank you! What an added incentive to buy my book. Half my proceeds go to Action Duchenne and DMD Charity. Please BUY here; http://duchennemen.net16.net/buymybook.html

For you Sam, Dedication;
...This book is dedicated to my dear friend and brother in Duchenne Sam Morgan. He was sadly and cruelly taken in September 2010 by the deadly claw of this muscle disease. Your kind, loving and brave soul will be fondly remembered ever more. The painting on the back cover was painted especially for him, may he now walk above the clouds. My thoughts go out especially to Sam’s parents, Debbie and Colin....


Foreword

I’m Ian Griffiths from South Wales. This book is a story of my life so far up to the age of twenty five years. I live with and suffer from the ill effects of DMD which stands for Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy. It is a severe muscle wasting disease and a life limiting terminal illness. It won’t kill you in six months in the traditional sense of ‘terminal’, but it’s far crueller than that, it steals every muscle in your body first and then kills you, anywhere up to the age of thirty. There have been cases of men living past that into their forties and fifties but only with drastic interventions such as ventilators and tracheotomies, more on this can be found by reading on.
I hope to cover a few things in this book, from a history of my childhood years to a more detailed history from sixteen years onwards and finally onto my current problems and triumphs. At times things I write may make you smile or may make you pause and think about the seriousness of life with this devastating disease. I really hope there will be a cure but currently for us supposedly ‘older’ guys with DMD (over twenty one), there seems very little hope. If I don’t see a cure in my lifetime, I hope my campaigning helps in some way bring it about for future generations, so another child won’t have to see their body wither and die before their time.