“From my wheelchair, FutureLearn has taken me to places and given me experiences I never thought possible. I have: explored our deep oceans; monitored climate from Space; gone shopping in the time of Richard III; identified the dead and caught the perpetrator and gone over the top at the Somme in World War I.”
Lee, 61, was diagnosed with Multiple Sclerosis in 1976, he is now confined to a wheelchair, unable to eat or drink and can type with just one finger. FutureLearn has allowed him to connect with the world, learn about his own health and pursue passions he thought he would have to give up.
“I have lived all my life in the house I currently live in in London, very near to the Olympic Stadium. Everything seems much smaller now than it did when I was young and lots of fast food restaurants have popped up.”
“I was diagnosed with MS in 1976 and for about 10 years I was ok, I was able to walk - I limped a bit but that wasn’t a big deal. What was a big deal was that in 1976 I was a sportsman who played basketball - getting MS bought it all to an end for me.”
“When I was first diagnosed, I met my wife, Enitan, who was, at the time, my carer. She used to see me studying with the Open University and decided to start studying Health and Social Care with them herself. Distance learning with the Open University allowed her to move up from a care assistant to the manager of two care homes.”
“In many ways I am grateful that I have MS, if it wasn’t for my illness I would have never met my wife”
In the late 1980s Lee had a serious health attack that put him permanently into a wheelchair - despite his quickly developing illness, Lee continued to work until 1994.
“It was in my mind at the time I retired, that I would carry on studying with the Open University. However, I was studying with the OU for pure enjoyment and not actually taking the exams so when the Open University told me about FutureLearn and the free courses it offered, I was immediately interested. At the last count I was on 25 FutureLearn courses and am still going strong.”
FutureLearn gives Lee the opportunity to work online, at home and at his own pace. It also means that he is able to learn alongside other people from across the world - opening doors that MS has closed for him.
“FutureLearn has been an absolute boon to me. At home with my trusty Dragon voice recognition to transcribe my dictation, I’m able to take part in interesting cyber conversations with fellow students from around the world. It has given me an opportunity to connect with people that my disability wouldn’t allow.”
Lee has not only taken courses for enjoyment, FutureLearn has also helped him to better understand his own health conditions and even helped him to diagnose a life threatening illness.
“The course I benefitted from the most was on Swallowing Difficulties and Dysphagia. I couldn’t swallow properly for a long time. Before I was diagnosed with Dysphagia I had a live in carer called Paul who made me lovely meals, I would take a couple of mouthfuls and choke. When I started taking the course on Dysphagia on FutureLearn I knew it was what I had.”
When staying at a nursing home soon after taking the course they confirmed his suspicions and diagnosed him with Dysphagia. He was immediately treated and has not eaten or drank anything since his operation over 18 months ago.
“From my wheelchair, FutureLearn has taken me to places and given me experiences I never thought possible. I have: explored our deep oceans; monitored climate from Space; gone shopping in the time of Richard III; identified the dead and caught the perpetrator and gone over the top at the Somme in World War I - Thank you FutureLearn.”