Hartlepool woman raises more than £5,500 in memory of her husband who lost his fight with MND

Sandra Hamilton, 76, made sure a charity Ceilidh went down a treat in Hartlepool at the weekend.

Sandra lost her husband Brian to Motor Neurone Disease (MND) four years ago at the age of 75.

Ever since, she has pledged to raise funds for MND charities and this year held a Ceilidh in the town’s King Oswy Club.

As well as the dance, highlights included donations from Hartlepool United, a signed book from town comedian Danny Posthill and tickets from Leeds Rhinos rugby league team, which were all auctioned on the night.

Brian had been a fit and energetic man but he fell ill in Bulgaria in September 2016 and Sandra said they originally thought he had had a stroke.

On their return home they paid privately to see someone at Middlesbrough’s James Cook hospital before he was diagnosed.

Motor neurone disease is a condition that affects the brain and nerves and gets worse over time. It can affect the way people breathe, walk, how they talk and how they eat and drink.

Sandra said: “I want to thank everybody who has helped and supported me in bringing this event together and making it such a success including all my family and friends.”

She had special praise for Michelle Hamilton Moran, Jayne Donkin, Lesley Oxley, Reeva Bo Clayton, Kirsten Clayton and “so many others plus all the many local businesses who have given so generously”.

Sandra added: "A big thank you to everybody who came on the night and made it such a brilliant night and to the fab Band Blind Stag who did a great job of getting us all to dance, laugh and jig the night away and who also conducted the auction which was so funny and successful.”

Hartlepool boxing superstar Savannah Marshall is also donating the “gloves and wraps she wore defending her world title a couple of weeks ago for us to auction or raffle”, said Sandra.

More than £5,676,63 has been raised with proceeds from the auction of the gloves still to come.

For more information about MND and the work of the Motor Neurone Disease Association, go to www.mndassociation.org/

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