AN ARDROSSAN man is set to climb two mountains to raise funds for a Motor Neurone Disease (MND) charity after his older brother was diagnosed with the disease.

Graham Ross, 59, will climb Goatfell in May and then Ben Nevis in June or July and is aiming to raise £500 in the process for the My Name’5 Doddie Foundation who have supported his brother Lennox, 61, following his diagnosis.

Graham told the Herald: “My brother was diagnosed in March last year with MND. He was a chef and he had to give up work because he could not stand on his feet for any great length of time.

“As the year has gone on he is no longer able to walk the way he used to. He stayed in an upstairs flat in Ayr and we struggled to get him to a wheelchair accessible flat but he now has one in Ardrossan and it is a lot easier to see and assist him.

“MND has had a devastating impact on him. My brother was a fit guy before and he is getting really frustrated because of things he cannot do.

“It puts a lot of extra pressure on myself but we have managed to get him a mobility scooter thanks to a grant so he has a bit of independence back although it is a struggle for him but at least he can get back out in the town.”

The grant was provided by the My Name’5 Doddie Foundation which was established after Doddie Weir the former Scotland rugby player, revealed he had MND in 2017. The foundation raises funds for MND research, to investigate potential cures and meaningful treatments as well as supporting people living with MND, to enable them to live as fulfilled lives as possible.

With both Graham and Lennox big rugby fans it seemed a natural fit to raise funds for the charity.

Graham said: “I am a big rugby fan and so is my brother and when Lennox discovered he had MND he went on Google and found out more about Doddie and his foundation.

“I then thought that I could help raise funds for the charity so that’s where the idea came from.

“I myself suffer from osteoarthritis which affects my feet, knees and hips and I was struggling to walk and I used to do Glasgow half-marathons to raise money but I am not fit enough to do that anymore so decided to climb Goatfell and Ben Nevis.

“I went up Ben Nevis in 2008 and I swore never again but I just thought this is the right time to do it again.

“I have learned to block pain out as I have had it from my younger days. My son and his fiancée will be joining me on the challenge.”

To donate visit https://uk.virginmoneygiving.com/ForLennoxMND.