Omagh author donates £10,000 to MS Society in tribute to his mother and wife

OMAGH author Sam Young has presented a cheque for £10,000 to the MS Society, with the donation directed specifically to the MS Research Hub at Queen’s University Belfast.

The funds were raised entirely through sales of his debut book 'Dancehall Days', published last year, with all royalties pledged to the charity.

Sam's second book, 'The Cruellest Month', released in November, will also have all proceeds donated to the MS Society in memory of his late mother and in honour of his wife, Mae, who was diagnosed with MS in 2019.

Sam said that although his mother inspired the story behind the books, it was Mae’s diagnosis that motivated the charity.

Speaking about the donation, he said: “The donation was a very special day for Mae and I. This is the first physical proof that all our efforts were worthwhile, as it is four and a half years since I started writing. This donation is all from the sales of 'Dancehall Days', which was published last summer.

“The best thing about the donation was that a lot of very clever and very busy people gave up their time to be there. So I want to give thanks to Professor Denise Fitzgerald and her colleague Yvonne Dumbrowski from the QUB MS Research Hub, Dr Stella Hughes, Consultant Neurologist at the City Hospital, and Cheryl Brownlee MLA.

“We felt very proud of our achievements and the fact that this was really appreciated by such senior people. It was fantastic," Sam said.

Sam hopes his writing will continue to raise both funds and awareness for MS research, supporting a cause that is deeply personal to him and to his family.