Published: Saturday, 6th March, 2010 2:00pm

I'll firewalk for my hubby

A BRAVE wife is joining family and friends to take part in a charity firewalk in tribute to her husband after he was struck down by Motor Neurone Disease.

Gourock policeman and devoted dad-of-two Mark Noone was just 34 when he was diagnosed with the incurable condition, one of only around 320 people in Scotland suffering from the disease.

His wife Erica, sister Adele and sister-in-law Kerry Blance are next week joining friends Sharon Gillan and Tina Irving to walk across 20 feet of coal and wooden embers sizzling at 1236 degrees in a bid to raise money and awareness for charity MND Scotland.

Erica said: "One day Mark started to feel a weakness in his leg and arm and went to the doctor. He went through several tests over a number of months and they told us he was suffering from Motor Neurone Disease in November 2008."

Motor Neurone Disease (MND) is a progressive neurodegenerative disease that attacks the upper and lower motor neurones.

The condition leads to weakness and wasting of muscles, causing increasing loss of mobility in the limbs and making simple, everyday tasks we take for granted exceptionally difficult, including eating, swallowing, speaking and walking.

Erica added: "It was a massive blow and was very difficult to come to terms with. It has changed every aspect of our lives, but we have been determined to try and rally and continue as normal a family life as possible for all of us."

The five daredevils will take part in the fire walk at Falkirk Stadium on 12 March and already have more than £3,000 pledged by well-wishers.

Erica added: "I saw the advert for the event in a magazine and thought we would give it a bash. The support from family and friends has been brilliant. We want to raise as much as possible because MND Scotland do such good work providing support for people affected by Motor Neurone Disease.

"All the money collected will go straight to their funds. MND is a disease which not many people know a lot about, so hopefully people reading this will realise how it is important that we raise as much money as possible for this charity to work towards a cure for this disease."

Kerry, a teacher at Gourock High, said: "How does a family come to terms with the fact that someone they know and love, who is a healthy, fit young man, a husband and a father of two, has a disease for which there is no cure? I'm not really sure you do come to terms with it but we took a deep breath, rallied together as a family and continue to do everything we can to try to ensure that life is as fulfilled and as happy as possible for Mark, Erica and their two children."

She added: "We thought this would be something a bit different away from a marathon - and we only have to get though 20 feet instead of 26 miles."

Anyone who wants to donate can visit Erica or Kerry's websites at www.justgiving.com/ericanoone or www.justgiving.com/kerryblance.