Since the first Independent Adult Weekend took place two years ago, it has become a standout event for our community. Mel explains why meeting other young adults face to face has become even more important since transitioning to adult services and how she feels the experience has strengthened her independence.
Hi, I'm Mel! I am 21 years old, I live at home in Liverpool and I have MPS I Hurler. Last year, I attended the Independent Adult Social Weekend in Manchester.
It was wonderful for me to find an event that was taking place in my region and it meant a lot that I was able to travel there independently.
I was really looking forward to the weekend as many of us had been introduced online by the MPS Society prior to it taking place.
Transitioning to adult services, I have noticed the disconnect from the peer group I used to enjoy at joint clinics. I appreciated being in contact with people my age from the MPS community that live close enough for me to visit outside of these events. This was the first time that we all got to meet and chat face to face.
It was also really refreshing as a young adult to attend an event that encouraged independence and provided a safe environment for us to share our experiences.
We agreed to keep in touch and that having an event like this is so beneficial. So much so that I have already been reaching out to my MPS peers who were not aware of our growing community!
I feel so positive about this that I want to see it thrive.
Because the event included an overnight stay and a meal, we had the chance to enjoy a relaxed weekend, free from feeling defined by our shared conditions. We felt we had the time to get to know each other better, chat freely about our interests and have a laugh!
I really look forward to joining the Independent Adult Weekend again this year and cannot wait to catch-up with everyone.
How you can help
We are thrilled to be taking part in The Big Give Christmas Challenge once again this year with the potential to raise a whopping £25k for the MPS Society! These funds will go towards funding our amazing community events over 2026.
