Cardigan disability rights campaigner hopes to inspire others

The 56-year-old, who lives at Bro Teifi, was diagnosed with Myofibrilar Myopathy, a rare muscle wasting disease, eight years ago.

“This disease affects every muscle in my body, including the heart and lungs,” she told the Tivy-Side.

“I use a wheelchair to get about as I cannot walk or stand unaided and need non-invasive respiratory therapy to help keep my lungs inflated.”

While there is no known cure, Morvenna believes that a healthy diet and exercise have slowed the deterioration of muscle.

“I have many adaptions in the home and a PA that enable me to live independently and manage to live my life to the max,” she said.

“I won’t lie, it’s not easy, it took me a long time to accept my disability and learn new ways to live with it.

“I had always been so active before getting ill.

“During lockdown I comfort ate myself up to 16 stone 6 lb, my mobility was getting worse, everyday tasks would leave me breathless and my diet was awful.

“I knew the time had come where I had to do something about it.”

Morvenna met with a physiotherapist last year and decided to follow a diet plan.

She also purchased some fitness gadgets online. “The best investment I have ever made,” she said.

Now two stone and 7lb lighter 2 stone and 7 lbs lighter, Morvenna rolled up to Cardigan Leisure Centre last week, to check out its wheelchair access and see what exercise was available to disabled people in Cardigan.

 ‘I was really impressed,” she said. “Many of the machines are adjustable so that I can use the machines sitting in my wheelchair.

“The staff were so helpful and welcoming.”

Morvenna has also been campaigning for a hoist at the local swimming pool to enable people with limited mobility to enjoy hydrotherapy.

“Our nearest hydrotherapy pool is in Carmarthen,” she said. “Making our pool accessible in Cardigan would mean that local people would not have to travel so far.”

She is urging disabled people to contact her at Morvenna7@hotmail.com