QuEST Global Engineering - External Events

Colleagues club together after co-worker hit by illness

Bob Penman with Chris Jones, Vice President, QuEST Global,

Bob Penman was diagnosed with motor neurone disease two years ago; since he was not able to work he had opted to leave Winterstoke Road-based GKN Aerospace (now QuEST Global) earlier this year as he is now wheelchair bound, and needs constant help to breathe.

His former co-workers held a charity gala in September where more than £2,600 was raised, with all of that money to be given to the Motor Neurone Disease Association, a charity which has offered Bob vital help since he was diagnosed

Bob Penman who is 52-year-old, lives in Broadoak Road, Langford, said he first started displaying the symptoms of the disease, which affects the muscles used for movement, speech and breathing, in May 2007. He said: "I first noticed it when I was playing badminton, there was a difference in my legs, the muscles started to go first and I ended up not being able to play that or other sports." He was formally diagnosed with the disease in early 2009. "For much of that time I've been confined to a wheelchair, my arms have been really badly affected, and I need constant help to breathe", he contined.

"It took me a long time to get my head around it. I just thought 'why do I have this disease?' Now I have resigned myself to the fact that I have it, and that it will take my life, and I have come to terms with that."

Bob left GKN Aerospace (now QuEST Global) in July after 11 years with the company, but his former colleagues organised a charity gala to raise funds for the association.One of them, Alison Tanner, said: "It has been such a shock how much the disease has affected Bob. He used to be a very active person, and it has been quite shocking really just how quickly the illness has changed his life. Motor neurone disease affects a lot more people than is commonly thought and all of the money raised will go to people who suffer from it locally."

The charity helped Bob when he was diagnosed, and assisted him to convert his garage into a bedroom when it became too difficult for him to make it up the stairs, while it has also given him much-needed equipment.

He added: "I think it's great what they have done. The association has helped me a lot, and I think it is fantastic that they have been given so much money which they can use to help others."

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