Annual Motor Neurone Disease Centre Memorial Service

The MND Centre’s annual memorial service was held at St George’s Church in Jesmond on the 21st January 2007, to celebrate the lives of former patients of the Centre.

A large number of families and friends of former patients attended. The service was conducted by Rev Marjorie Shipton, the Hospital Chaplain.

We had readings by Sister Frances Kelly, Sister Yvette Hodson and Susan Clark, speech therapist; also Judith Thompson soloist sang several times during the service. Dr Tim Williams paid tribute to the courage shown by the patients and families who suffered from the effects of this dreadful disease.

Following the service with the help of ladies from the Newcastle branch of the MND Association (and Yvette’s mam), we had tea, coffee and biscuits and thanks to the generosity of relatives of former patients home made cakes, in the church hall. Afternoon tea provided a welcome opportunity to those present, and gave them the chance to talk and renew old acquaintances.

Several of the cakes which were donated on the day, were sold and we raised £25 towards the charitable funds held at the Centre.

This report is taken, with permission, from the March Newsletter of the Newcastle Motor Neurone Disease Centre