Gordon Aikman, the campaigning Sunday Times Scotland columnist, has lost his battle against Motor Neurone Disease – aged just 31.

Gordon was diagnosed with MND at the age of 29 in 2014, but where others may have given up he formed the Gordon’s Fightback campaign.

He knew it was too late for him but fought tirelessly for future generations, successfully lobbying Scottish first minister Nicola Sturgeon to double the number of MND nurses and fund them through the NHS.

With the help of Sunday Times readers moved by his extraordinary monthly column, he also raised over £500,000 for research to help fund a cure for the terminal condition.

Jason Allardyce, Scotland editor of The Sunday Times, said:

Gordon was a truly wonderful human being who connected with readers and all who met him with his courage, honesty, insight and eloquence. Even when exploring the darkest of issues his positivity and wry sense of humour shone through, making his writing a wonderful blend of light and shade.

He found the process of writing the column cathartic, once observing: ‘I get things off my chest and share the burden of the challenges I face. If I am going through this, then you are coming too. Awareness soothes. There is something coming for us all: the only difference between me and you is I’ve been given a heads up.'

In the end MND came for him but not before he had left an indelible mark on Scottish life.”