Gadget helps family break silence

[caption id="attachment_36642" align="alignright" width="300"] CONQUERING TOGETHER: The Boyce family from left, Shannon, 21, Britney 14, dad Stanley, and little Reed, 5, stand by their mother, Dianne, a motor neurone disease (MND) sufferer who communicates with them via her iPad. Picture: BRIAN WITBOOI[/caption]

THREE years ago the Boyce family had to come to terms with news that shattered their world - mom Dianne had been diagnosed with MND.

Despite this, the Sherwood family has not let the illness get the better of them.

Over the last 18 months Boyce's health has deteriorated, resulting in her loss of speech. Upon realising her inability to talk, Boyce downloaded a voice application to her iPad, where she types in her conversations with her family. The application has a voice reader and reads whatever she types in, making it easier to communicate with her loved ones.

"Dianne is one commendable patient, who has not let MND overcome her," a palliative care nurse, Gaynor Bishop, who manages patients and families who are inflicted and affected by this progressive disease said.

"She's fought it with so much courage and claimed some positivity back into her life."

Bishop said she visited the family twice every week and they would all do fun and special activities and make more memories with Dianne.

"I encourage them to have picnics, write letters to one another and create memory boxes. We also cry together, something that is very therapeutic for them."

She said the amount of strength, grace and courage they had after grieving was phenomenal. The Boyce family has also learned sign language to communicate simpler things like "I love you". - Balisa Ntloko