Gemma Catton, 42, from Ellon, Aberdeenshire has raised a collective total of £25,000 for MND Scotland   – a milestone they celebrate in honour of her mother.

Gemma’s current fundraising initiative, titled “Sock It To MND,” revolves around her passion for collecting and wearing socks. Since 1st January 2024, she has committed to wearing a different pair of socks each day. She has recently completed a full year, showcasing a total of 366 unique pairs of socks throughout 2024; 36 pairs with penguin designs; 45 featuring dogs; 86 showcasing beloved childhood characters; and 33 pairs of Christmas-themed socks.

Through this initiative alone, Gemma has raised £1,165 by donating to MND Scotland for each pair worn, with the support from family and friends. She plans to continue her ‘Sock It To MND’ mission into 2025, with the goal of successfully reaching the Global MND Awareness Day once again in June.

Gemma left her hometown in Dumfries at 17 to pursue higher education at the University of St Andrews, where she earned a BSc and PhD in Chemistry. Gemma worked in the field of science communication and education for eight years. During this period, she took time away from work to care for her mother, who was diagnosed with bulbar onset motor neuron disease (MND) on 30th August 2013.

This experience, alongside witnessing the outstanding care and support her mother received from her Neurologist and Palliative Care Team, inspired Gemma to make a career change. She retrained and qualified as an Occupational Therapist in 2020 and currently works within Stroke Rehabilitation for NHS Grampian.

Gemma’s mother, Wilma Catton, worked as a Librarian and in the education sector for many years. Gemma describes her mother as a loving and vibrant individual who remained positive and determined throughout her illness. Despite facing the challenges of MND, Wilma focused on enjoying life and prioritising time spent with family and friends.

Gemma said: “We had a lot of shared interests and enjoyed holidays together, outings to the theatre, cinema, concerts, and rugby matches, and simply spending quality time together at home.  We always were incredibly close, and I treasure every minute of our lives together.”

 There are around 450 people in Scotland currently living with MND. The average life expectancy is just 18 months from diagnosis; 30% of people with MND die within 12 months.

Wilma’s illness began with slight slurring of speech and difficulties in eating. As her condition progressed, she lost the ability to talk and became reliant on alternative communication methods including a text-to-speech app on her iPad. She also lost the ability to chew and swallow, and her mobility and independence were increasingly affected by progressive muscle weakness.

Wilma died peacefully at home on 24 January 2015 at the age of 62, just 17 months after her diagnosis.

Gemma recalled: “It was incredibly hard and heartbreaking watching somebody you love deteriorate knowing there is no treatment or cure.  I can’t even begin to imagine how it must have felt for my mum. 

My priority at the time was supporting her and helping deal with the challenges she faced and the adaptations she had to make as the disease progressed.  I wanted to maximise the time we had left together and didn’t want to have any regrets. 

It is now approaching 10 years since she died, and I continue to love and miss her so much every day.”

Gemma expresses gratitude for the care and support provided by MND Scotland. She highlights the invaluable contributions of her mother’s MND Specialist Nurse, Carole Ferguson, and Welfare and Benefits Officer for MND Scotland, Nicola Povey.

Additionally, Wilma and her family benefited from complementary therapies and counselling funded by MND Scotland and enjoyed quality time together staying in MND Scotland’s accessible holiday accommodations in Oban and St Andrews.

Shortly after her mother’s diagnosis, Gemma started raising awareness for MND and fundraising for MND Scotland. She emphasises the importance of coping strategies and the significance of maintaining connections to loved ones and their interests as a means of healing.

She said: “Everybody copes and deals with things in different ways, finding our own coping strategies and it was important to understand and respect that.  I love talking about my mum and keeping close and connected to everyone and everything that was important to her. Raising awareness of MND and fundraising for MND Scotland in memory and celebration of my amazing mum has been an important coping strategy for me”.

In 2014, sisters Gemma and Emily, took part in the MND Scotland Fun Run along with their mum. Since then, both sisters and have continued to attend the annual event each year to honour Wilma’s memory.

In addition to the Fun Run, Gemma and Emily have organised and participated in various fundraising activities for MND Scotland, including: several Ice Bucket Challenges, charity ceilidh, coffee mornings, and adventurous challenges such as a Zip Slide across the River Clyde and a free fall abseil from the Forth Railway Bridge.

Jonathan Mitchell, Head of Fundraising for MND Scotland, said: “We are deeply grateful to Gemma and her family for their continued support and efforts in raising vital funds and awareness for MND Scotland in memory of Wilma. It’s heartwarming that, even decade on, Gemma and her family continue to support MND Scotland.

“Thanks to the creativity of supporters like Gemma, who come up with new and unique fundraising challenges, we can work towards our vision of a world without MND. Their efforts help us make a meaningful difference for many families affected by this cruel disease.”

MND Scotland would like to thank Gemma, Emily and their friends and family for their continued support in contributing to the charity’s vision of a world without MND.

For more information about MND Scotland, how we can support you or your family, or if you’re interested in taking on a fundraising challenge, please visit: www.mndscotland.org.uk, email: info@mndscotland.org.uk, or call: 0141 332 3903.