Onething thatscares meislosing myvoice butnowI’ll alwayshave oursong
MUSIC EMPOWERS MOTOR NEURONE DISEASE GIRL Lucy Lintott, 22, hopes choir of sufferers’ charity single raises awareness of cruel condition and boosts efforts to find a cure
Concert, are also part of the inspirational project.
James said: “What really struck me about Lucy’s documentary was her positivity and determination to do everything she could not to lose her voice, recording her natural speech in readiness for the future, and how important her music was to her.
“I firmly believe that where words fail, music speaks, which is why we wanted to form a choir to raise awareness of the condition and spread Lucy’s message further.”
Lucy and her choir also chose to record the song Clouds by the late US singer Zach Sobiech, who wrote it after he was diagnosed with the bone cancer which killed him at the age of 18.
Lucy said: “When I was diagnosed, this song really helped me through the difficult times. It reminds me I’m not in this fight alone and wonderful things can come from your darkest days.”
After her diagnosis, Lucy began raising money for MND research and has so far collected more than £120,000.
She said: “At the moment, there is no known cure for the disease but that’s something I’m determined to change.
“There is so little promise for people with MND. I’ve even heard it referred to as a death sentence. I hate it when people say that. It makes me angry.”
In 2015, she and political activist and fellow MND sufferer Gordon Aikman were awarded the overall Daily Record Our Heroes award for their tireless campaigning. Gordon, 31, died in February.
Although Lucy faces challenges in the future, she wants to grasp life fully and enjoy it while she can.
She added: “I can’t go to parties, get drunk or do all the things other 22-year-olds do, but I can still have fun in different ways. In the past year, I’ve been photographed by Rankin, recorded a single and faced MND head-on.”
Lucy’s dad Robert recently trekked to Machu Picchu in Peru to raise money for MND Scotland and Lucy is planning a charity ball to mark four years since her diagnosis.
She added: “I’ve got great support and my family are amazing. My illness is starting to take its toll but I’m still here, still fighting.
“The condition’s profile has never been higher. People know patients end up in a wheelchair but I don’t think they grasp what it does. My goal is to keep going and help find a cure.” ● Stand Together by Choirs With Purpose will be released on December 15 and can be ordered at pledgemusic.com/choirswithpurpose