Patrick Joyce - The Incurable Optimist

Patrick Joyce – The Incurable Optimist

Why I’m an incurable optimist
“I have motor neurone disease (MND). I’m gradually losing the ability to walk, talk, eat and breathe. I won’t see my daughter go to primary school and she won’t remember me. I am dying… MND is killing me.
I’m determined to use what’s left of my life and my diminishing artistic skill to encourage others to do something optimistic every day. MND may be incurable but I am an incurable optimist. I know that through optimism we will find the cure to MND.
Take a look to see what I’m doing and see how you can get involved to help others with MND and support the work of the Motor Neurone Disease Association.”

header

Help me get to 100 portraits while I still can
“Before my diagnosis of motor neurone disease, I was an artist. Now the disease has affected my arms and hands and I am finding it harder to paint. I want to continue to work for as long as possible and use both my work and my story to help the Motor Neurone Disease Association create a movement of incurable optimism. This is why I’ve set myself a challenge to draw the portraits of 100 incurable optimists before I lose the ability to paint forever.
I’m looking for incurable optimists to paint. If you think you or someone you know is an incurable optimist, nominate that person here. Just tell me why you think they are an incurable optimist in a few words and leave your email address, and we’ll get in touch if we like your story.
And your portrait may just end up hanging in a gallery someday…

Patrick1
Kath is supportive, loving and caring. Without her I would be lost. The writing in her hair is something she said to me when I was first diagnosed, “I will always look after you, right until the very end.”

Patrick2
Martin is a neurologist and a tireless and innovative MND researcher. He has become a friend and has inspired me to become an amateur neurologist. I feel lucky to have met him.

Patrick3
Sarah is an inspiration to me. As a single mum she has brought up two lovely children, despite being unable to walk, speak or use her arms. She helped me when I first got MND, when I felt very scared.

Patrick4
Sarah is there every morning to help me get up. She is always cheerful, always looking for extra things to do to help me. She is a wonderful person, and makes the world a better place.

Patrick5
Mark is my friend, and has bulbar MND. He struggles to breathe and has just had a tracheostomy, which is the ‘Cut Here’ bit in the picture. He is a lovely man, so full of life.

Patrick6
I am an amateur inventor but I bow down humbly before Earl’s talent. Despite having bulbar MND and being unable to speak, he has set up a business making his inventions for disabled people.

Visit Patrick’s website or his blog for more information about this wonderful man and to find out how you can help.
Follow Patrick on twitter or like him on Facebook.
Thank you, Osocio, for sharing!