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One man's unique life story - conveyed by text
Waheed Mahmood is a young man with a unique story to tell. However, rather than putting pen to paper or hands to keyboard as most people would, he is having to rely on an enterprising yet painstaking method of recording his story - writing it on mobile phone text message. Waheed, who lives in Sheffield, must be one of the few people in the world - and possibly the only person - who is recording their life story through the modern medium of mobile phone text messaging. The 19-year-old has been texting his story a couple of sentences at a time onto his phone, which he later reads to his neurologist Dr Tony Hart who has been voluntarily typing it up. However, it is a time-consuming task and Waheed is now looking for enthusiastic assistants to help finish off the mammoth job, and to help him in achieving his goal of getting his unique story published. So far, it has involved a commitment of 11 months' work for Waheed. However, texting was his only option with writing ruled out due to the severity of his illness. His muscle disease, spinal muscular atrophy, has gradually wasted his muscles and there is no known cure available. Waheed explains: "I spend most of my day lying down unable to do much, even write because of my weakness. I rely on people for everything, even things I used to do myself such as feeding or drinking. I have a poor appetite, so I don't even eat a quarter of what other people eat. I look so small and thin that you might think I am only ten years old! Because of all of this, a mobile phone is much easier to handle than a computer keyboard for me." Waheed has found one big reason to look forward to each new day, in the form of the Indian singer and actress Priyanka Chopra whose television and film performances have proved an enjoyable distraction during years of being housebound. He says: "I have tried many painkillers, but none has proved to be better than seeing and thinking of Priyanka Chopra. Her smile is my medicine: she gives me the strength to hide my pain and discomfort from my family at home everyday." Thanks to the Willow Foundation, Waheed was even treated to a phone call from Priyanka herself last year which boosted his spirits. Despite the hardships he has faced, Waheed wants his story to be interpreted in a positive light: "I always thought that life would be easy, peaceful and stress free, but I was very wrong. Life is very complicated. Everyday I struggle with my breathing, every day life feels tiring for me. It is very scary when you know that something will kill you but you don't know when. However I never thought I would see 2007, and here I am! I have not written this story for fame or sympathy. I have written this story because I wanted to send a message out to people, like me, who are suffering every day with pain and discomfort: be strong, hang in there." The Muscular Dystrophy Campaign's Head of Marketing and Communications, Sally Otter, said: "Waheed's story shows that with imagination and perseverance we can break down the barriers we face in achieving our goals, however insurmountable they may seem. We hope that some good Samaritans will recognise the time and effort he has put into conveying his manuscript and help him to finish the task, enabling Waheed to receive both the recognition and the readership his story deserves." www.muscular-dystrophy.org
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