A FORTH VALLEY woman who died after being diagnosed with Motor Neurone Disease has "left a legacy" by arranging a collection for MND Scotland.

Having been diagnosed the day after her birthday, Wanda Sharp passed away on August 17 but had already asked those close to her to make a donation to MND Scotland, the charity supporting her and her family throughout her diagnosis, instead of purchasing flowers for her funeral.

Chris, Wanda’s son, told the Advertiser: “It was a shock at first when she was diagnosed, she was diagnosed the day after her birthday.

“We thought we’d have a lot longer with mum but she ended up only having two months."

Wanda was born in Fife and met Robin, her husband, working in a psychiatric hospital near Cupar. The couple then moved to London for a few months before returning to Scotland and settling in Stirling.

They had two sons, Chris and Jonnie, and four grandchildren; Owen, Aaron, Stephanie and Mollie.

Upon her retirement Wanda took up golf and was a member at Braehead Golf Club in Clacks.

Chris added: “She hadn’t been there for a few years because of her health and had gave up her membership but after she died someone sent us a picture and we realised the club had put a lovely notice up and put their flag down at half mast which was a nice show of respect.”

It wasn’t until after Wanda’s diagnosis that the family realised a few falls in previous times may have been an early indication of the disease.

Chris said: “We knew there must have been something because in March last year she fell and broke her pelvis. Her right leg seemed to give way and she fell and hit the slabs.

“As the time passed and we hoped she would recover from that she ended up with fused discs in her spine so she ended up with quite a curved spine."

Chris continued: “We knew there was something, we were thinking maybe MS because her sister has MS so we thought that was affecting her mobility and then they gave the diagnosis of MND.

“Even prior to her fall with breaking her pelvis she had a history of having one or two falls. She had fell on the golf course a couple of times and fell in Spain once as well.

“When you look back, and this is what the neurologist kind of agreed, that these unexplained falls were probably the start of the MND.”

After her diagnosis Wanda was determined to help others. She set up a monthly donation to MND Scotland and was on a waiting list for a drug trial.

She also organised for her spinal cord and brain tissue to be donated for research.

Chris continued: “She was very accepting of what happened and she never complained.

“She said for the funeral she didn’t want flowers and spending money on flowers more than anything so that’s when she came up with the idea of a collection for MND Scotland because that’s the charity she supported after her diagnosis, setting up a monthly payment to them.

“It’s just nice that that’s in memory of mum. She’s left something, a legacy if you like, and it’s just nice knowing that her death is going to help others in some sort of way.”

A fundraising page in Wanda’s honour has been created for people to donate to MND Scotland.

Visit www.justgiving.com/fundraising/crissharp to make a donation.