Charity CEO of The Muscle Help Foundation receives MBE award at Windsor Castle for services to people with Muscular Dystrophy

Pioneering polar adventurer and founder and CEO of Hampshire-based The Muscle Help Foundation (MHF) charity, Michael McGrath MBE DL, received his Member of the Order of the British Empire (MBE) award on Wed 12^th June 2024 at Windsor Castle from Anne, Princess Royal in recognition for charitable services to People with Muscular Dystrophy (MD).

Michael’s MBE award was first announced in the King’s Birthday 2023 Honours list last June, with the Honours system celebrating the people who go above and beyond to change the world around them for the better and seeking to reward those doing vital and extraordinary work across the country.

Operating a unique wish fulfilment model rooted in wellbeing, the MHF charity, which celebrates its 21^st anniversary this year, organises and facilitates highly personalised interventions, called Muscle Dreams, for vulnerable children and young people (8–28yrs) across the UK living with the muscle wasting condition MD.

Delivering physiological and psychological benefits that improve emotional and mental wellness, the personalised programmes are designed to be restorative and uplifting – with beneficiaries being empowered via the realisation of their Muscle Dream.

From experiencing flight or being out on the open water to learning a new skill or interviewing a global movie icon, these transformational experiences are MHF’s tangible fulfilment device, delivering both immediate and long-term positive impacts to recipients and their families.

Speaking on receiving the award, Michael said: “When I heard the news last year, I was totally overwhelmed. Being at Windsor Castle nearly one year on with my loved ones meant the world. I was so happy that my 88-year-old mum was there to witness the moment when Princess Anne pinned the award on my chest. This recognition is for all those who have supported the Muscle Help Foundation charity’s journey along the way over the past 21 years.

“My heart also goes out to every single beneficiary, their often exhausted mums and dads, brothers, sisters, uncles, aunties and all those who unconditionally and selflessly care for those living with this cruel and unforgiving condition that robs sufferers of their mobility, and finally for those with the most severe form, their lives. Right now, whilst care is at the forefront in a lot of people’s minds, in 2023 the charity lost nine of its Muscle Warrior beneficiaries – the average age was just 19 years old. This is the harsh reality of a condition that is currently incurable.”

He continued: “What the charity tries hard to do is change lives and give hope – our young people are the fuel that drives me to keep pushing on. It is such an enormous privilege to witness often the best day of a young person’s life, the joy on families faces and those precious smiles. Whilst much has been accomplished over the past 21 years, I must highlight the one person in my world who has also been a key part of the journey, my incredible wife Sue. Through her love and enduring support, her patience, deep understanding and affinity with so many of our families, she is truly my rock, together with an army of extraordinary volunteers. As MHF moves towards realising its 657 mission and as we look to a future rooted in more wellbeing initiatives designed to not only uplift and restore mental and emotional wellness but also fill a growing gap around the lack of respite, the need for our services will, I have no doubt, continue”.

The Hon Alexandra Shackleton, the only granddaughter of Sir Ernest Shackleton, the great Irish Polar Explorer, said: “My warmest congratulations to Michael. I have had the privilege of knowing him as his Patron and friend for many years. His achievements in reaching both the North and South Poles and his continuing work with the Muscle Help Foundation charity has been exemplary. I believe Michael’s qualities are best summed up by those listed by my grandfather Ernest Shackleton for a Polar Explorer, namely – Optimism, Patience, Imagination with Idealism and finally Courage”.

When TV Presenter, Lorraine Kelly CBE, an MHF Patron, heard the news in June last year about Michael’s MBE award, she said: “Michael is a superhero! He’s done the most incredible things and changed the lives of so many children with muscular dystrophy through the charity’s Muscle Dreams. I’m so pleased he is being honoured as he really deserves to be recognised for his achievement.”

About Michael:
Michael’s journey started at 18 years old, when he was diagnosed with Muscular Dystrophy (MD). Following his diagnosis, he chose a life dedicated to inspiring and providing hope for others living with MD.

To raise awareness of MD, Michael led expeditions to the Arctic and Antarctic in 2002 and 2004 respectively, making history by becoming the first disabled person in the world to have led expeditions to both the North and South Poles – these expeditions were the launchpad for the MHF charity. He reached 90 degrees South (Antarctica) in 2004, the same year in which Michael was recognised by the late Queen for his ‘contribution to national life’ at Buckingham Palace – he was included in the 2004 Christmas Day broadcast to the nation by Her Majesty reinforcing diversity as a strength.

Commenting on this amazing feat, Alexandra Shackleton, one of Michael’s South Pole Expedition Patrons and the only granddaughter of Sir Ernest Shackleton said at the time: “Michael’s polar achievements are extraordinary triumphs of physical and mental endurance and should serve as a reminder to us all that, in his own words, ‘our limits are often far beyond where we may assume them to be’.”

The Muscle Help Foundation, which is celebrating its 21^st anniversary this year (2024), has a singular focus on delivering Muscle Dreams – these are life-changing interventions and/or moments in time for children and young people with muscular dystrophy. In doing so, the charity serves a very special purpose in the broad MD space. The whole ethos of the charity is rooted in the idea that brilliantly executed interventions can be transformational in not just fulfilling a young person’s dreams and aspirations, but they can also uplift, boost confidence and improve self-esteem, often giving desperately needed hope. 

An academic study that powerfully validates the charity’s impact was also carried out by the Centre of Health Services and Clinical Research at the University of Hertfordshire. Their rigorous analysis academically validates the charity’s impact in a way never seen before in the wish-fulfilment sector. The robust report found that the MHF’s work has a lasting, transformative effect on young people and their families, giving them greater confidence and an invaluable sense of community and social connection. 

During the pandemic, the charity pivoted its work to deliver group virtual interventions including virtual Muscle Dreams focusing on laughter, music, improvisation and comedy, as well as wellbeing outreach programmes. Individual unique virtual Muscle Dreams included live chats with the England hockey team, while regular quizzes and Q&As with nearly 50 public figures through the charity’s ‘In Conversation With’ broadcasts built a sense of connection and community during a period of significant worry and isolation.

In addition, recognising the challenges being faced by his beneficiary community during the lockdowns, Michael also asked MHF Patron, Lorraine Kelly CBE, to deliver a message of hope and support to those living with MD, who had been shielding during the pandemic. Miriam Margoyles OBE was announced last year as a Patron of the charity, that also has British actor, film director and writer Sir Kenneth Branagh OBE who has been associated with the charity since 2003, also as a Patron, and who at that time delivered a heart-felt video endorsement of the charity’s work saying, ‘this is a small charity with a very very big heart’.

From being a long-standing DE&I advocate to having several ‘thought leader’ pieces published in a variety of journals, Michael has also been named in the Power 100 publication on four consecutive occasions, namely in 2019, 2018, 2017 & 2016 as one of Britain’s most influential disabled people. He was awarded an Honorary Doctorate of Arts (2018) by the University of Hertfordshire, in ‘recognition of his motivational  and inspirational work for persons with a disability’. In his speech to graduates in 2018 at the Cathedral & Abbey Church of St Alban (Hertfordshire), he made a plea to graduates to “make the discovery of their own purpose a key priority” (https://bit.ly/3CqWrvw)

Michael was appointed in July 2019 to represent the Crown as a Deputy Lieutenant (DL) in Hertfordshire – a voluntary role, and in September 2019, he was invited to become a Fellow of the Royal Society for the encouragement of Arts, Manufactures and Commerce.

Since returning from the poles some 20 years ago, Michael remains a sought-after speaker delivering inspiring keynote presentations to private and public sector organisations. Over several years, his speaking services have been repeatedly engaged with by different NHS Trusts across the UK to inspire frontline workers and NHS leaders including talks both pre and during the Covid pandemic. Michael speaks at conferences, events and away days in addition to delivering bespoke masterclasses. Keynote topics include – leadership, resilience, change, overcoming adversity, risk and teamwork. He has also been invited to speak in both mainstream, special educational needs (SEN) schools and hospices, capturing hearts and minds, as well as broadening the horizons of children and young people.