Incredible legacy left by Scots woman diagnosed with MS as loved ones dedicate 40 years to charity
When Mary Donald died last year, aged 68, she left behind her devastated husband and sister. But she also left an amazing legacy.
Because, inspired by her, Mary's loved ones have given more than 40 years to others through volunteering.
Mary had multiple sclerosis (MS) and persuaded sister Sheena Rollo and husband Robert Donald to help out at the MS Society's Dumbarton and District Local Group, which she attended.
Decades later, they're both committee members and Sheena is the Group Coordinator.
To mark Volunteers' Week (Monday 2 to Sunday 8 June), Sheena and Robert shared the benefits of giving time for others, and are encouraging everyone to give volunteering a go.
Mary was just 26 years old when she was told she had relapsing remitting multiple sclerosis (MS).
She lived with vision and balance problems for three or four years before being diagnosed.
Back then, in the 1980s, much less was known about MS, and far fewer treatments were available. But Mary found support through the MS Society's Dumbarton and District Local Group.
And she soon persuaded her husband and sister to roll up their sleeves and get involved in group activities.
Robert, now 70, a retired mechanical engineer living in Helensburgh, recalled: 'Mary joined the group and at first I was just a 'hanger on'. I must have joined in the late 90s but I got really involved just before 2000.
'They were looking for somebody to take the minutes in the meetings so muggins volunteered! I was still working when I first started volunteering with the group.'
Sheena, 68, who lives in Dumbarton and previously worked as an administrative officer for local government, said: 'I took early retirement and Mary started to put a bit of pressure on me.
'She said, look, we really need someone with your experience; she really buttered me up! She said if I went along and helped out it would give Robert a real break.
'So in 2007 or thereabouts, that's when I got involved.'
However, it soon became apparent to Sheena that Mary may have had an ulterior motive for bringing her sister on board.
The mother of two, who has four grandchildren, continued: 'The real reason she asked me was because she was aware of my organisational skills, and they were trying to organise a 40th birthday party for the branch.
'The group had been providing support to the community for 40 years and they wanted to mark the occasion.'
And that desire to celebrate and enjoy themselves continues within the Dumbarton and District Local Group today.
Because in addition to offering sessions that can help people manage their symptoms, and providing a safe space to discuss anything relating to the condition, the group is also very much about life outside of MS.
Sheena continued: 'People do talk about their MS sometimes. If the group sees someone's struggling then the conversation will come up. But they'll also talk about their families, holidays, and shopping. They're very chatty about the 'normal' things in life.
'One week we have our group drop-in, then the next week we have a yoga class. They're both at the same venue – the Helensburgh and Lomond Civic Centre.
'We also have a meditation class on Zoom. We started it during the pandemic, when we couldn't get out, and it was a way we all kept in touch.
'We kept it going because everyone loved it so much.
'We have our lunches every four weeks, at a local restaurant. We always have a great turnout for that, it's a very popular event.
'We had a shopping trip recently to the Livingston Designer Outlet, and we usually have a shopping trip at Christmas too.
'And we have parties. We recently had an afternoon tea party to commemorate VE Day, and an Easter party, which the Easter Bunny turned up to and everyone got Easter eggs!
'We have lots of fun but I think the most fun we have is at our Summer Olympics. We get oversized garden toys – huge shuttlecocks and badminton rackets, hoopla, and balls!
'It's a very fun group and everyone gets on so well together.'
The group turnout tends to vary between about 13 and 22 people. These include people living with MS and their families, friends and carers. The age range is becoming more mixed with the youngest current attendee in their 30s and the oldest in their mid-80s.
Some of the committee members and volunteers have MS while others have a connection to the condition, often through a loved one as Sheena and Robert do.
When asked how their volunteering benefits others, Robert said: 'It gets people out of the house and out of their shell. A lot of people are sitting in their houses on their own and the only people they see are their carers.
'If you can get them out, go for a lunch, get people all together, it's really good.'
Sheena added: 'I sometimes sit back when we're having a drop-in or an event where we're celebrating something. I love to sit back and just listen.
'And the noise of them all chattering and laughing really gets to me — I get a wee bit emotional when I hear all of that.
'One of the reasons I've been group coordinator for so long is because you need somebody to guide everyone else; you can't have a successful group without anybody at the helm.
'But I also want to do this role, I get great pleasure from it.'
Mary would have turned 70 last month.
She continued working, as an administrative assistant in local government, until she was 40 years old.
Shortly after stopping work her mobility deteriorated and she became a full-time wheelchair user a few years later.
Her diagnosis changed to secondary progressive MS.
Yet Robert remembers 'she always said she was lucky'.
And Sheena added: 'She had an amazing outlook and just took it on board.
'We knew she was in pain but she never complained.'
And her grieving husband and sister have vowed to continue the volunteering they started because of Mary.
Since helping to arrange that 40th birthday party more than a decade ago, Sheena has organised transport for people attending group activities and taken on the roles of public relations officer and fundraising officer.
She's been the group coordinator for more than 10 years.
Robert has remained in administrative roles and is now the group secretary.
Sheena's daughter Wendy Rollo, 45, has also volunteered at group events for the past 12 years in between working.
Her tasks have ranged from chatting to attendees to doing the washing up.
Along with their fellow committee members and volunteers, Sheena and Robert worked to raise the profile of the group locally, building relationships with journalists and reaching out to the MS community throughout West Dunbartonshire and parts of Argyll and Bute.
In 2018, the Dumbarton and District Local Group won the Community/Voluntary Team Champions category at West Dunbartonshire Council's Provost's Civic Awards.
And in 2012, Sheena was named Dumbarton Citizen of the Year by West Dunbartonshire's Provost for her work with the group.
More than 17,000 people in Scotland, and more than 150,000 people in the whole of the UK, live with multiple sclerosis (MS).
MS is a condition that affects nerves in the brain and spinal cord, and this impacts how people move, think, and feel.
Symptoms are different for everyone and are often invisible. Some of the most common MS symptoms include fatigue, loss of balance and dizziness, pain, vision problems, and problems with memory and thinking.
It's a lifelong condition and, although there's currently no cure, people don't die directly from having MS. However, if they're severely affected, the risk of dying from a complication related to MS (like an infection) is larger.
The MS Society provides support, funds research, and campaigns to improve the lives of everyone affected by MS.
Throughout the UK, including here in Scotland, more than 200 MS Society Local Groups bring people together to reduce isolation and offer support through events, exercise classes, and more. The groups are all run by volunteers.
Jo Anderson, Director for Scotland at the MS Society, said: 'We wouldn't be able to make the impact we do without the support of our amazing volunteers, like Sheena and Robert.
'Whether they're raising funds, supporting campaigns, increasing awareness, or delivering services, every single volunteer is helping to make life better for people affected by MS.'
The MS Society's Dumbarton and District Local Group is always on the lookout for new volunteers.
When asked what advice they would give to someone who was interested in volunteering but wasn't sure where to start, Robert said: 'We'll consider anyone who's interested in volunteering. Just come along, give it a go, get to know the guys, and see if you like it.'
Sheena added: 'We're very relaxed and although there has to be some structure to our events, it's very informal. If anybody comes through the door they'll be made welcome.
'We're looking for volunteers to do all sorts of things, from sitting down and chatting with people to helping to clear the tables and wash the dishes. And who knows, if they like it and they keep coming back, one day they might think about joining the committee!'
To find out more about volunteering with the MS Society's Dumbarton and District Local Group, email dumbarton@mssociety.org.uk or contact them through the 'Dumbarton and District MS Group' page on Facebook.
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