A substantial sum of £7,000 raised in the memory of a minister has been split between Parkinson’s UK Cymru and different MND charities.
Cen Llwyd, from Llandysul, who passed away aged 70, had been diagnosed with Parkinson’s and Motor Neurone Disease, and therefore it was decided that the money would be split between the charities.
Parkinson’s UK Cymru received £3,500, and the other £3,500 was shared between the My Name’5 Doddie foundation and MND Association.
The father of two, who is survived by his beloved wife Enfys, 71, was a Unitarian minister for six chapels in Dyffryn Aeron and Bro Teifi.
He was a passionate advocate for Parkinson’s UK Cymru, having spoken on behalf of the charity about the condition in multiple television and radio appearances.
Enfys, a former teacher, has spoken candidly about the challenges Cen faced with his deteriorating health.
She said: “Cen often spent his time raising awareness and money for Parkinson’s UK and wasn’t scared to share his experiences.
He was diagnosed with Parkinson’s in 2016 and received a diagnosis for motor neuron disease just before he died.
“It’s a very challenging situation when someone loses their mobility and independence. The worst thing about these conditions is that his mind was unaffected, so he must have felt trapped in a body that was no longer his own.
“He was writing emails and letters right up until the end. However he found talking and communicating very hard and frustrating. It was painful to see him that way especially as he devoted his life to helping others through supporting various campaigns for the Welsh language and humanitarian rights.
“We are very grateful to everybody that contributed money in his memory. We wanted to donate the money in his memory to Parkinson’s UK, My Name’5 Doddie foundation and MND Association as these charities do amazing work in funding research to find new treatments, medication and perhaps one day, a cure for these diseases.”
Keri McKie, Regional Fundraiser for Parkinson’s UK Cymru said: “We’re incredibly grateful for this donation to Parkinson’s UK Cymru in the name of Cen Llwyd. The money that has been donated will go towards funding important research which has the potential to improve the lives of those with Parkinson’s”.
