FAMILIES who have lost loved ones to debilitating Motor Neurone Disease (MND) have joined forces to raise funds to make life better for others affected by the muscle-wasting condition.

Fundraiser Mike Findley, who has lived with the condition for a decade, has raised thousands of pounds for fellow sufferers and has continued his efforts despite being ever more dependent on his wheelchair.

And thanks to the latest fundraising efforts of “Mike’s Angels” - the collective name given to former carers and other supporters - a specialist chair is now making life easier for MND patients at The James Cook University Hospital.

Chris Dalton, 55, who lost her husband Martin to MND in July 2013 when he was just 53, was amongst the fundraisers who came to check out the new equipment, alongside daughter Faye, 27, a customer service advisor.

The travel agent, from Normanby, said: “We were so shocked when he was diagnosed. He had always been a man’s man. He’d been in the Royal Navy and worked as a maintenance technician for Carillion based at James Cook hospital. You just wouldn’t have imagined he had this time bomb ticking away.”

Mr Findley, who is also a Redcar and Cleveland Borough councillor, said the stories of fellow sufferers have inspired him to continue raising money to combat the illness.

“In September, we celebrated the 10th anniversary of the MND fund,” he said. “

A lot of the money goes towards research, but we also like to help local people suffering with the disease now. We like to buy equipment for the MND Centre and this is the latest piece we have purchased.”

He said the new chair – which he got the opportunity to try out for himself - was “great” because it “fits everyone with MND” moulding to them - no matter how they are affected by the condition.

Anthony Hanratty, MND nurse and care co-ordinator at the hospital, said: “Due to the progressive nature of the disease, people living with MND often find it difficult and tiring to transfer or sit comfortably in standard chairs and therefore having this specialised chair makes a great difference to them, improving their independence and quality of life.”

Money raised by Mike and his supporters has also part-funded an EMG machine, which allows patients who have suspected MND to be seen and investigated more quickly, and diagnosed as soon as possible, reducing that time of uncertainty.