John Navarro - Finding your calling after diagnosis with Multifocal Motor Neuropathy (MMN)

John Navarro is remarkable in many ways. 

First affected by MMN about 8 years earlier, John was diagnosed with MMN in 2024. 

His journey to diagnosis was by no means easy. After first experiencing symptoms in his toes, they gradually affected more of his leg function before also affecting his arms and hands. By the time he couldn’t ignore his symptoms, John had both foot and wrist drop. 

Living in Gibraltar, John travelled across the border to Spain to seek help. It was only through his perseverance and willingness to advocate for himself that he got the second opinion required to obtain his diagnosis. This saved him from unnecessary surgery after initial nerve conduction studies found nothing wrong.  

Since being treated with IVIG, Johns arm and hand function has improved, but his legs remain immune to the positive effects of the treatment. Despite his ongoing physical challenges, John has thrown himself into raising  awareness of the condition and connecting those affected by it. This includes establishing a Facebook Group for members of the MMN community in UK. 

As the only person from his country with MMN, John has become a beacon of hope for many in his community living with rare diseases.  

In this conversation, we touch on John's journey from initial symptoms through to his remarkable work in the MMN community.