CAMPAIGNER Gordon Aikman, who was honoured by The Herald for his efforts to raise awareness of motor-neurone disease, has welcomed a decision to double the number of specialist nurses caring for people with the condition.
First Minister Nicola Sturgeon yesterday announced a £700,000 initiative to increase the number of specialist MND nurses from seven to 14.
The move follows a meeting between Mr Aikman, 29, who is dying from the incurable disease, and Ms Sturgeon which was arranged at the Herald's Scottish Politician of the Year award ceremony last November.
On the night, the political researcher received a special award for his campaign, Gordon's Fightback, and in a moving acceptance speech called on the First Minister to meet him to discuss support for sufferers.
Ms Sturgeon agreed when she accepted the main Scottish Politician of the Year award. They met last month.
Ms Sturgeon announced the move during a visit to Ninewells Hospital in Dundee.
She said: "MND support has been championed by many, not least by Gordon Aikman and his inspiring campaign to raise awareness of the condition.
"We have a hugely committed and professional workforce within our National Health Service and with the continued support and hard work of everyone involved, I am confident that we can continue to improve care and provide better support for people living with MND."
Mr Aikman said: "I am delighted.
"This will transform the lives of Scottish MND patients, including me.
"This is a victory for the thousands of supporters who demanded action through GordonsFightback.com, MSPs from across the political spectrum, and the First Minister who answered the call for change."
He said Scotland was now "leading the way" with MND care but added: "Now it is up to the UK parties to commit to double MND research funding so we can find a cure to this horrific disease."
Motor-neurone disease is a rare, progressive and debilitating disease that attacks the brain and spinal cord.
It leads to weakness and muscle wasting and can affect walking, talking, eating and breathing.
Mr Aikman, the former director of research with the pro-UK Better Together campaign, was diagnosed last year.
His campaign has raised £100,000 towards research.
He persuaded Alistair Darling and Alex Salmond to take a soaking in the ice bucket challenge as part of his drive to raise awareness of MND.
Increasing the number of specialist nurses available to the 400 people in Scotland who have the disease was among a number of calls made by the campaign.
The seven MND nurses currently working within the NHS are funded by charitable donations but the government said, in future, 14 would be paid from public funds.
Yesterday's announcement was part of a £2.5million commitment to improve specialist nursing and care.
A review will determine how the rest of the money should be spent.
The money comes from extra resources earmarked for the Scottish budget in the Chancellor's autumn statement.
The move followed a pledge by Jim Murphy to recruit 1000 extra nurses using revenue from Labour's proposed mansion tax on homes worth more than £2million.
The Scottish Labour leader said he would "at least" double the number of MND nurses, if he becomes First Minister, but called on ministers to find the cash sooner.
Scottish Labour health spokeswoman Jenny Marra yesterday welcomed the announcement.
Dr Margaret McGuire, nurse director at NHS Tayside, said: "This is a wonderful recognition of the role of specialist nurses and in particular for MND.
"I think Gordon Aikman has been absolutely inspirational in everything that he has done.
"He's been so vocal about it but he's done it in a very articulate, objective and evidence-based way.
"It's also important to remember that he's advocating for one particular condition, but we need to remember that there are many people out there with a lot of other conditions that are equally inspirational in their own way but probably haven't had the profile that he has had."
ends
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