THE tragic death of Dunfermline man Mark Richardson will be raised in the Scottish Parliament by a Fife MSP.

The dad-of-two died suddenly in May 2016 of an undiagnosed brain tumour, aged 32.

Alexander Stewart MSP will lead a debate on the issue on December 7 after he tabled a motion highlighting the challenges faced by many brain tumour patients.

The motion – supported by 50 MSPs – describes what happened to Mark and states that brain tumours are the biggest cancer killer of children and adults under 40.

Mark’s wife Shona, who is now a community fundraiser for The Brain Tumour Charity, said: “This debate is a real opportunity for politicians to make a difference.

“I am really touched that Alexander has taken Mark’s experience and turned this into something really positive.

“His sudden death was a complete shock to all of us and looking back, I initially thought Mark didn’t show any symptoms. He suffered from a stiff neck, tiredness and a bleed in his left eye prior to his death.

“Had I known that these symptoms combined could have been a brain tumour, we may have been able to identify this before we lost him “It has only been through my involvement with the charity that I have become more aware of how common and serious this illness is.”

Mr Alexander said he was keen to act after he became aware of the devastating consequences of a late or inaccurate diagnosis.

He said: “The Brain Tumour Charity is at the forefront of the fight against brain tumours and I’d encourage all MSPs to consider taking part in this debate and to support our goal of improving outcomes for patients across the whole of Scotland.”

The motion notes that “national campaigns are a basis on which to develop further awareness” and praises the achievements of the HeadSmart early diagnosis campaign, which has contributed to a reduction in average diagnosis times for childhood brain tumours from 9.1 to 6.5 weeks.

The Brain Tumour Charity’s CEO Sarah Lindsell said: “We look forward to the debate and to turning this recognition into action, working alongside policymakers in Scotland.

As reported earlier this year in the Press, over £80,000 has been raised in Mark’s name since his death with family, friends and colleagues organising a series of fundraising events, including a charity climb up Ben Nevis.

Mark Richardson pictured below with his wife Shona and their two sons.