Benjamin said he became inspired to speak more openly about the condition when he discovered his five-year-old son was showing signs of it
A Belfast father-of-three with Tourette’s Syndrome is to take on an ultramarathon “walk in the park” to raise awareness about the condition.
Speaking to Belfast Live, Benjamin Martin said he was inspired to take on the 24-hour challenge after his five-year-old son began to display signs of the condition.
He’s going to walk for 24 hours straight, from midday on October 3 through to midday on October 4, at Victoria Park in Belfast to raise awareness about Tourette’s – a condition he believes is still “widely misunderstood” and too often associated with swearing.
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Ben, a 33-year-old who works at Belfast Harbour, said he first began to show signs of Tourette’s at the age of seven but wasn’t diagnosed until he was at university.
“A lot more is known now than it was, you know, in the 90s,” he said. “But it’s still not fully understood.”
“I’ve lived with Tourette’s Syndrome since I was seven, though at the time the term wasn’t used in my case,” he explained. “A lot of research and understanding has taken place since the turn of the millennium, and it wasn’t until my early 20s that a neurologist diagnosed me with the condition.
“Like many people, I used to associate Tourette’s Syndrome with involuntary swearing – a symptom called coprolalia, often sensationalised in the media. In reality, this only affects around one in ten people with the condition. For many, Tourette’s Syndrome presents as repeated movements and sounds, known as tics, which can be disruptive, exhausting and, in some cases, debilitating.”
He said that, during his studies, he was given medication to treat the condition for the first time. But he had to balance the side effects of the medication and the impact it had on his studies with the exhaustion he felt due to his condition.
He said his approach to Tourette’s has been to try and “soldier on” but became inspired to raise awareness and speak more openly about the condition when he discovered his five-year-old son was showing signs of it.
“Recently, my son, Marco, has started to show signs of tics,” he said. “It’s too early for a formal diagnosis, but the situation feels familiar. My wife and I are committed to doing everything we can to support him—and to support and learn from other families in similar situations.”
An online fundraiser for Tourette’s Support Northern Ireland (TSNI), a volunteer led charity that supports families and individuals affected by the condition, has been set up.
The fundraiser can be found here.
Benjamin added: “Every donation — big or small — will help TSNI continue its work supporting families and individuals affected by Tourette’s Syndrome. The organisation runs support meetings, training sessions, awareness campaigns, and a variety of activities for children with Tourette’s Syndrome, their families, and friends.”
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