I was diagnosed with Friedreich’s ataxia at the age of 44, after experiencing symptoms for a couple of years. I am now 47.
We are now into a new year. We have entered 2026, and it is also my birthday in January, so I am another year older.
It does make you wonder what is on the horizon. Don’t get me wrong — I am fully aware of how lucky I am to have late-onset FA (most people develop the condition when they are very young, and it is more severe). However, because it is a progressive disease, it will get worse.
This is why, for me and for all others with FA, research into finding a treatment or a cure is so important and urgent. It could really make a difference to my life — for example, allowing me to continue working and live independently — and to the lives of so many others.
Let’s hope 2026 is a good year.
