A LOTTERY winner with multiple sclerosis (MS) is to take part in a charity walk to raise money for research into the condition.

Shelley Adams, 52, from Chipping Norton, won £1 million with her husband David, 61, last month.

Tomorrow, she will be taking part in MS Walk Live, a virtual event.

When she was diagnosed with MS, she started taking daily walks, which benefitted her mental and physical health.

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She said: “My MS symptoms meant that last year I had to give up being a community carer, a job I absolutely loved.

“This put a strain on our finances and heightened my clinical anxiety, and I desperately needed something to focus my mind, so I started walking.

“I don’t do long walks, but I am very regular, taking a stroll around the block at least twice a day when my condition allows.

“In fact, I’m such a regular sight that my neighbours give me a wave as I pass by and check how many laps I’ve done.”

Witney Gazette:

The mother of two says that since winning £1 million on the Lotto, she has been able to invest in some ‘snazzier walking shoes’.

Mrs Adams hopes that the new trainers and regular walks will stand her in good stead in preparation for the charity walk, which she will take part in with her husband, and friend, David Friend, who also has MS.

She said: “I know that I can’t single-handedly stop this horrendous disease but hopefully by making more people aware of it and also doing my bit to raise some funds, we will be one small step closer.

“In the meantime, I’m going to keep strolling for as long as I can.”

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The lottery win followed a tough few months for Mr and Mrs Adams.

The win on August 1 came 24 hours after Mr Adams had been made redundant from his job as a wood machinist, while the couple were still grieving after Mr Adams lost his brother to coronavirus.

Mrs Adams said: “It really is the stuff of dreams, I just can’t believe how our life has changed so wonderfully in the last couple of months.

“We’ve been able to buy our first home together, albeit only a couple of doors down from our current place, and while at the time of the win we said we’d buy one car, not only did we get the Nissan Qashqai, we also splashed out on a new runabout for me too so I can attend the West Oxfordshire MS Group meetings in Witney when it reopens.

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“We’ve even been able to enjoy a weekend away at a luxury hotel, something that less than two months ago I believed would never happen again.

“We’re not going crazy and still watch how we spend the pennies, we always have, but it’s nice to treat ourselves.

“Some people might think new trainers and a top of the range Fitbit is hardly a treat but to me it definitely is, I’m loving watching those steps just mount up each day.”

The MS Society’s MS Walk Live replaces the annual MS Walk in London and Belfast, which were cancelled due to coronavirus.

More than 130,000 people live with MS in the UK. The condition affects the brain and spinal cord, causing a range of potential symptoms, including problems with vision, arm or leg movement, or balance.