He has been left wheelchair bound, unable to speak and lost his independence following his diagnosis
The children of a former firefighter who was once knocked back from pubs for being 'too drunk' before being given a devastating diagnosis fear they will inherit his condition. Martin Barker, from Glasgow, was in his mid 30s when he was diagnosed with Ataxia - a degenerative disorder which affects speech, balance and coordination.
Ewan told the Record: "My dad was one of the lads. He had a busy social life and lots of friends - the disorder has taken away his freedom. Ewan continued: "My brother and I have discussed getting tested for the gene but neither of us want to know if we have it."My brother recently moved in with his partner of 11 years. They have talked about him having the test before they have kids."
"I couldn't get my head round the fact that our lives had changed in an instant. I'll never forget that day."The final blow was finding out the condition could be passed to our boys. They have a 50 per cent chance of carrying the gene. They've seen first hand how the disorder unfolds." "He struggled to get up off the ground because his balance was off. He had been shouting for help but his speech was so slurred people were just walking past him. They assumed he was drunk too."That was the moment he realised he wasn't going to get better."
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