In October of last year I lost my mum, Anastasia, to multiple sclerosis. She was diagnosed with the disease not long after she turned 30. My early memories of her are of an excitable, active person who could never sit still. She loved running, yoga, and her job in TV. Over the next 30 years, the disease that she fought so hard against took all of that away from her, until eventually, just after her 61st birthday, it took her life too.

The MS Society funds vital research into the causes and possible treatments of MS. They also provide a helpline service, answering calls from those looking for guidance and support. In the early years of my mum’s diagnosis they were there for her, and later they were there for me - offering advice and an open ear when I had questions about her deterioration.

I know that times are tight and there seem to be more causes to donate to than ever, but if you can contribute anything, however small, it would mean a great deal.