Steve Roberts is well known as a useful rugby player with Neyland but was recently diagnosed with multiple sclerosis and has shown great fortitude in focussing on raising much-needed funds for the charity that helps those who suffer with the illness.

He is undertaking a mammoth challenge and has already received amazing support from his family, friends and community and we include Steve’s moving comments below - and we at PembrokeshireSport.co.uk wish him well, both in his future well-being and success in his venture, which has already received amazing support on ‘Just Giving’ - but is still open for people to add to it! If you can help as a club or individual go on his Steve Roberts face Book page.

“As some of you already know and for those of you that don’t,  I have recently had a diagnosis of Multiple Sclerosis,which started as pins and needles in my hand, and after an MRI scan on my neck a small lesion was found on my spinal cord.  After several more scans and more lesions found on the brain scans it was diagnosed as MS.

After speaking with some great medical staff in the Spire hospital in Cardiff and the Neurological department at Swansea’s Morriston hospital plus doing a lot of self-research using the internet- mainly the MS Society - and getting an understanding for the disease I would now like to give a little something back as a way of thanks to everyone who is helping others like myself and working to find a cure.  At present it is not a curable disease but it is largely manageable and the prognosis is a lot better than it would have been many years ago.

For my fundraiser I will be completing the Pembrokeshire coast path twice - once in each direction which will be all 370-odd miles of it and scaling the equivalent of Mt Everest twice in the process!  I will be starting in Amroth and finishing at St Dogmaels;  every leg of my journey will be an out and back route so as to cut down on relying on other people to get me to and from the start and finish point for the day. 

Myself and my little furry friend will be trying to average running and walking around 15 miles a day for the 24 days I’ve pencilled in, though that could slip a little if I’m suffering too badly or the winds pick up. I don't mind getting wet in the January/February  weather but I draw the line at getting blown off a cliff.

I would like to complete it within four weeks which coincides with starting my treatment for the disease and being unable to go to work until the doctors are happy that I am stable on the medication. No better time to do it in my eyes!”

Thanks for reading my story – Steve Roberts
Donating through JustGiving is simple, fast and totally secure. Your details are safe with JustGiving - they'll never sell them on or send unwanted emails. Once you donate, they'll send your money directly to the charity. So it's the most efficient way to donate - saving time and cutting costs for the charity.  https://tinyurl.com/2tmj52fd