‘Game On’ for husband living with muscle wasting and weakening condition

Following the launch of ‘The Remarkable Life of Ibelin’ which has won the Audience Award (World Cinema – Documentary) at Sundance and the Directing Award (World Cinema – Documentary). It’s now featuring in many Oscar predictions. Muscular Dystrophy UK, the leading charity for more than 110,000 children and adults in the UK living with one of over 60 muscle wasting and weakening conditions, co-hosted a discussion event with Netflix, on Thursday 21 November.

Hosted by television presenter and broadcaster Elle Osili-Wood with Director, Benjami Ree, and people from the muscle wasting and weakening community, including the husband and wife, from Derby, East Midlands. The pair shared their ‘love of gaming’ and their thoughts on accessibility and the documentary, which explores the life of Norwegian gamer Mats Steen, who lived with Duchenne muscular dystrophy and died aged 25.

Liam lives with Spinal Muscular Atrophy (SMA) type three and has recently joined Muscular Dystrophy UK to use his gaming experience and knowledge to help support the charity’s fundraising initiative Game On.

A passionate gamer, he has lived his own remarkable life through the game world, which saw it merge into the real-world. Through the World of Warcraft he met his now wife, Ana, in 2011, a year later they met for the first time in person and they got married in 2017.

He said: “For me gaming has been lifechanging, it’s a huge part of me. It allows you to have an equal level playing field, where I’m an equal to other gamers despite living with a muscle wasting and weakening condition. I have a competitive nature, so gaming allows me to go at my own rate and speed to improve and get better, without any repercussions.

“The film feels really close to home and so much is relatable. It allowed me to meet my wife, Ana, through our love of gaming. Gaming is a lifestyle choice for us and something that we do together rather than watching TV, and allows us to socialise with our friends.

Like a board game night? Or perhaps you love streaming on twitch? From Monopoly to Mario Kart, join the fun and get your Game On for muscle wasting conditions and help raise funds to support groundbreaking research musculardystrophyuk.org/GameOn

For more information about Muscular Dystrophy UK visit musculardystrophyuk.org or call our free helpline on 0800 652 6352 (open Mon – Thu 10am – 2pm).