Lucy Smith receives British Empire Medal

Lucy (29) was recognised in the 2023 New Year Honours and received her medal from Moray’s Lord-Lieutenant, Major General Seymour Monro, on behalf of His Majesty the King, at the open-air investiture in Garmouth.

The activist and fundraiser is originally from the village and now lives in Elgin. She married husband Tommy last year and is the first woman in the world with MND to have twice become a mum after diagnosis.

Tommy and their two children joined Lucy, family members and friends for the ceremony where the Honours citation was read out by Vice Lord-Lieutenant Nancy Robson OBE. Seymour said the BEM recognised Lucy’s “determination and inspiration.”

Lucy described being named in the Honours list as “surreal”.

“When I got the email I had to double-check it wasn’t spam,” she said. “It's nice to be recognised for everything.”

Diagnosed with the progressive and life-shortening disease at the age of just 19, Lucy has devoted much of her time to raising awareness of MND, fundraising to support pioneering research into meaningful treatments and a cure, and to making time count with her loved ones.

Supported by family, friends, the Moray community and wider public, Lucy has raised around £200,000 for MND Scotland and is active in the charity’s ‘No Time to Lose’ campaign calling on local and national government to do more to support the housing needs of people with MND. She has also shared her journey in newspaper articles and two BBC documentaries, ‘MND and 22-Year-Old Me’ and ‘Being Mum with MND’.

Rachel Maitland, MND Scotland’s Chief Executive Officer, said: “I would like to thank Lucy for all her efforts to raise awareness of motor neurone disease and for the incredible amount she has raised to help others with MND and to find a cure. Lucy truly deserves this honour for everything she has done in the face of a devastating diagnosis.”