A 78-YEAR-OLD who lost his wife to a rare form of Parkinson’s Disease, has signed up to donate his brain to research.

Margaret Nolan died on September 2, after she battled a more aggressive form of Parkinson’s Disease (PD) and had often expressed her wish to become a donor.

Her husband, Eric Nolan was able to donate her brain tissue, spinal cord and fluid for research into PD and has since signed up himself as they also look for healthy donors too.

Mr Nolan said: “Margaret always carried a donor card, her mother had died of breast cancer at 49, Margaret was just 11 then and her sister died at 57 of breast cancer too.

“So, she was really adamant to become a donor herself after seeing all the good work it could contribute to.”

Mrs Nolan’s health had deteriorated badly over these last 3 months, culminating in a total of 3 weeks' stay at Royal Blackburn Hospital and Clitheroe Community Hospital before coming home for end-of-life palliative care.

Initially, Mrs Nolan had expressed an interest in donating her corneas, but due to the coronavirus pandemic, this was not possible after her death.

The retired occupational therapist assistant at Blackburn Hospital had multiple tests as her health declined rapidly and doctors found she had Corticobasal Degeneration (CBD), a more severe form of PD.

Mr Nolan said: “Somehow my family and I took a little comfort in her tissue donation.

“Thanks to Alty's Funeral Service and Royal Blackburn Hospital and our own Doctors from Roe Lee Surgery, this was made possible, with a courier then taking the tissue to London.”

“Incidentally, Parkinson's UK at Imperial College, also require normal brains, to compare with those from PD and especially CBD sufferers, so I have now decided to shortly instigate to offer mine, mind you, my kids said ‘Dad, it's normal brains they are after.’”

Mrs Nolan’s funeral was held on at Samlesbury Hall on September 17, followed by Cremation at Pleasington, Blackburn and was live-streamed.

The family had asked for any donations in lieu of flowers to go the Parkinson's UK charity.

Mr Nolan said: “I met Margaret exactly 50 years ago at Blackburn Drama Club, where she was the props and costume lady.

“Actually, and quite appropriately, her last public appearance was at the Club's 75th. Anniversary Dinner last September.

“We both loved drama and it was something we could do together right through the rest of our lives.”

Mrs Nolan lived in Blackburn her whole life working as wages clerk for James Hargreaves' Wholesale Tobacconists and Confectioners, where Mr Nolan ran the vending machine division, Site & Sell (1965) Ltd.,

Mr Nolan said: “She was 4 weeks short of her 73rd. birthday, and five short of our 49th wedding Anniversary.

“She was well thought of by many, as amply demonstrated by over 100 sympathy cards being received to date at her home in Wilpshire.”