Philippe Laurent

A multiple sclerosis sufferer who has been training in an industrial freezer for long hours eack week in preparation for the North Pole Marathon. MS is a disease of the central nervous system, which changes normal life for the sufferer with irreversible consequences. Everything changes very quickly and Philippe found himself "diminished physically and morally" since being diagnosed in 1996 aged 30 years old. He quickly found himself having to use a cane, with urinary problems and serious imbalances. However, he has found that problems of inaccessibility are an additional handicap in his native France. Philippe has thus written a Mobility Pact, calling for (1) Mobility in the City (2) Mobility in the Population (3) Mobility in the School System (4) Mobility via Financial Support (5) Mobility in Professions and Trade (6) Mobility induced by Research. Philippe believes that accessibilty must become a priority in France and he engages in difficult challenges such as the North Pole Marathon to support the themes of his writing. See www.pactedesmobilites.com. Philippe will be accompanied by a friend and physio during the event.