York woman with Multiple Sclerosis tells of how she became an award winning tennis player

THE moment Dawn Hunter realised she could play tennis was so overwhelming she burst into tears of joy.

The 43-year remembers looking around the tennis court in Wigginton through her tears and seeing her carer crying with emotion at the court side.

Having been paralysed from the chest down as a result of the Multiple Sclerosis (MS) she was diagnosed with a decade before, Dawn had written off the possibility of ever playing sports until her physiotherapist suggested she try tennis.

"Before I knew it, I was hitting balls to the back line, I was giving it some welly," Dawn said, "I was so chuffed I was crying, my carer was crying. It was the best hour of my life for such a long time. I was so excited, I had such a brilliant time.

"Playing tennis has been inspirational, it's absolutely changed my life."

Having started playing wheelchair tennis with the York Disability Tennis Network last summer, under the coaching of Andy Crockett, Dawn is now so improved she is looking to start playing in tournaments.

Earlier this month she was among the winners at the Active York Sports Awards which was presented by BBC's Tanya Arnold, for showing persistence, inspiring others and demonstrating resilience. The joy Dawn takes from playing tennis is something she would never have imagined she would be able to enjoy since being diagnosed with MS.

Dawn was 32 when she suddenly began to experience the symptoms of MS, a condition which can affect the brain or spinal cord, causing a wide range of symptoms, including problems with vision, arm or leg movement, sensation or balance.

"I woke up one morning with pins and needles in my legs," the former primary school teacher said, "They started in my feet and went all they way to my waist. By 10am I could barely walk. It was like walking through treacle. By the time I got to the doctors surgery I couldn't get there without my dad helping me."

Sent on to the hospital, Dawn remembers walking as if she was drunk. She realised something was seriously wrong when doctors shared a look of concern when they scratched along the soles of her feet but Dawn didn't move or flinch.

"They obviously knew it was something serious but even then the penny didn't drop. I thought I would get home and nothing would change," she said.

Dawn was in York Hospital for five weeks, during which time she learned to walk again, and doctors suspected she may be having a one-off incident of transverse myelitis, a rare disease of the central nervous system involving inflammation in the spinal cord.

Over the following year, Dawn worked to rebuild her strength until she could eventually run short distances but then a year after her illness began she had a relapse and was finally diagnosed with MS.

The relapses continued, with the third leaving her temporarily paralysed from the neck down. The worst in 2008 saw her learn to walk before collapsing and becoming unable to walk ever again due to paralysis.

She started playing tennis last year on the suggestion of York Hospital senior physiotherapist Emma Long.

"I'd told Emma I would love to be able to play a sport and she immediately printed out all the sports for people with a disability. My arms are quite strong and I was in the school tennis team so I thought I'd love to play tennis."

Soon after, Dawn went to meet Andy, having warned him that she wasn't even sure if she could hold a racquet. But to her delight she was able to play and has improved consistently.

Her family, have been a welcome presence at her training with her mum, a former PE teacher, often suggesting new skills, and her nieces offering ball girl skills. "I'm so grateful to my family and to my carers from Care Preference for their support", she said.

Dawn, from Haxby, who currently borrows one of the two wheelchairs owned by the York Disability Tennis Network, is now looking to crowdfund her own wheelchair to play tennis in.

She has applied for a specialised wheelchair through The Dan Maskell Trust but must fund the first part by herself.

All the money raised will go towards her adapted chair, lessons and a tennis racquet and she said if she becomes too unwell to continue playing tennis she will donate the chair and all monies raised to the tennis club.

In the mean time, she is preparing to play in a tournament against other people with disabilities and is looking for new members.

"I would be delighted to get into a tournament and I want to get more people involved in the club," Dawn said, "I was surprised there were no other people in wheelchairs. We have a very successful group of people with learning disabilities but no one else with physical disability."

Urging people to get in touch, she said, "It's improved everything from my mood to my confidence and that means it has given me confidence to go out or into town or to the cinema.

"It's been the best thing I have ever done since being ill, it's improved my mood and confidence and perspective of what's achievable. I think people would like how supportive Andy is.

"It's just about having fun."

- If you would like to support Dawn in her crowdfunding for a new wheelchair, visit http://www.crowdfunder.co.uk/get-dawn-the-wheelchair-she-needs Anyone who is interested in playing tennis, no matter what their disability, should contact Dawn or Andrew Crockett via The Disability Tennis Network or on Facebook: www.facebook.com/yorkdisabilitytennisnetwork/