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It was not just the pandemic which changed everything last year for Jack Partridge, who was diagnosed with limb girdle muscular dystrophy in January 2020.
The 22-year-old experienced several months of unhappiness and negativity, but months later, he said he was sitting in his bath when he had:
an epiphany, which slapped me in the face 'like a wet kipper.'
He said:
It is very tough indeed to be 22 and realise you could be in a wheelchair by the time you are 40. I don’t think it is something anyone would want to have to come to terms with. To begin with I agonised about all the things I would no longer be able to do in the future. I acted as though nothing was wrong. I didn’t want to tell anyone that I did not need to. I felt that I was on a timer which would take away my independence when that timer pinged. And then I had that moment in the bath!
I realised I was being so pessimistic about life in the future that I was not enjoying what I have now. I did some research, read about the lives people lead, even with life-limited disabilities. They absolutely inspired me. So here I am now – having given my head a wobble.
Jack made a pact with himself that he will take every chance to do something fun, adrenaline-fuelled and as exciting as possible! His first mission is to skydive on Saturday 11 September from Hinton Airfield, between Banbury and Oxford.To be honest now I can’t wait for my. It has been something that I have wanted to do for a while, I'm a bit of a 'adventure junkie.'
I'm not sure on future plans for fundraising but I would be up for anything really, especially some sort of group thing.
Jack’s diagnosis was drawn out over about six years.
Initially I had joined the army and had just completed my basic training at the army college in Harrogate (as a 16 year old junior soldier), but had started developing some problems running, so was sent to a military medical doctor who ran some tests which came back abnormal.>At that point I left the army as I felt a bit useless waiting around as I wasn't allowed to do any physical work. Still no answers until I was referred to a neuromuscular doctor who started reviewing all my notes. Three years after the first meeting I was called in, and in January 2020 and informed of the news I had Muscular Dystrophy.
At the moment Jack is living with his mum until he goes to university in September 2022 to study pharmacology with a view to researching pharmacology in the field of Neuromuscular medicine.
Please read more about Jack’s story and consider supporting him.