Mum who lost son to MND now fundraising for the new Rob Burrow Centre

A retired nurse from Holmfirth near Huddersfield will climb Ben Nevis in memory of her son who died of motor neurone disease.

Jude de Vos will walk to the summit in June in memory of Jody who died from the condition in 2017.

She's also hoping to raise thousands of pounds to go towards the building of the new £5m pound Rob Burrow MND Centre in Leeds. 

The appeal aims to create a state-of-the art therapeutic centre for patients and their families.

There is currently no cure for motor neurone disease, with 50% of sufferers dying within the first two years of diagnosis.

Jude cared for her son, who died aged 38 in January 2017, with help from district nurses and care staff.

His decline was rapid, leaving him wheel-chair bound and unable to speak just a year after his diagnosis.

The impact of Jody's diagnosis and death left Jude feeling suicidal.

"There are many people who are experiencing MND in a very lonesome environment, or who are very isolated, and don't have support", she said.

"I thought the new Rob Burrow Centre was the perfect cause to fundraise for - such a place would have made a huge difference to me and to Jody to have had specialist support all in one place. It would have been the best thing, to have felt supported myself."

Jude had the idea to climb Ben Nevis after joining a walking group in the summer.

"I am still here and I have survived", she said. "Jody had such a passion for life - he wanted to live so much, so climbing Ben Nevis is a tribute to Jody."

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