Arbroath man raising awareness

A dying Angus man’s illness will bring all parties round the table tomorrow.

Keith Swankie, from Arbroath, was diagnosed with the debilitating disease progressive supranuclear palsy (PSP) in 2012.

The father of two recently held talks with Conservative Miles Briggs and PSP Association chief executive Andrew Symons in Forfar following a series of alleged care failures during a recent admission to Ninewells Hospital in Dundee.

Mr Swankie said the experience showed him the lack of PSP awareness is now “worse than ever”.

The biggest thing to come from the meeting was a crossparty parliamentary meeting, which will take place in Holyrood.

Tomorrow’s event will invite MSPs from all parties to come to the table to discuss PSP and what has to be done to make people more aware of the disease.

Mr Swankie said: “We are hoping to do what Doddie Weir did for MND awareness in Scotland although he had a much bigger audience.

“This is needed for everyone in Scotland either suffering or caring for someone with PSP.”

Despite struggling with his condition, Mr Swankie initially campaigned across the UK to raise awareness and secured a reception at Holyrood in 2015, with one of the outcomes the creation of a new clinical research fellowship.