MS sufferer thanks Mitre 10 Pukekohe
‘‘It's important for us to recognise Mitre 10 as a good employer.’’
Pukekohe’s Heather Grey loved working at Mitre 10 Mega Pukekohe.
She spent 13 years working as a cashier for the business, until her recent retirement.
After work, a wheelchair would be waiting to take her to her car - she wouldn’t even need to ask.
It’s this kindness, shown by her employer and fellow employees, that made working with a crippling disease much easier.
Grey suffers from multiple sclerosis (MS) - a disease in which the insulating covers of nerve cells in the brain and spinal cord become damaged.
She was diagnosed in 2000 after suffering from a slight limp on the left side. Since then she has developed problems walking and balancing.
‘‘It didn’t affect me until five years ago and that’s when I needed walking aids.’’
But telling her employer she suffered from the disease was a decision she said helped her maintain a normal working life.
‘‘They’ve been very good to me - especially in the last year. Some days I’d be too tired to walk out with my walker and they would put me in a wheelchair and take me out to the car. I didn’t have to ask anybody - someone would always volunteer.’’
MS Awareness Week starts on August 29 and Grey is urging other sufferers to speak out about the disease and not be afraid to tell their employer.
Neil Woodhams, president of Multiple Sclerosis Auckland, said many sufferers weren’t working due to fear of how their employer would handle their disease.
On Tuesday, Woodhams joined Grey at Mitre 10 Mega Pukekohe to thank owner/operator Dean Littin for all he had done.
‘‘It’s important for us to recognise Mitre 10 as a good employer - we know that 67 per cent of people with MS that are of working age, aren’t working.
‘‘That compares with about 20 per cent for the rest of the population. In part that is because employers can’t, or don’t accommodate people with MS.’’
He presented Littin with an inaugural award for all the support shown to Grey.
‘‘Obviously Heather is affected quite badly by her MS and the fact that she’s been able to work here for 13 years is a real tribute to the team.’’