The response to an appeal to raise £30,000 so a man diagnosed with motor neurone disease can have stem cell treatment in a bid to see his young children grow up has been “staggering and humbling”.

Scott Everett, who lives in Stevenage, has been given less than three years to live and is desperate to prolong his life to see his daughters, two-year-old Evie and five-year-old Anna, grow up.

The 46-year-old, who first began feeling unwell last year but was only diagnosed with MND in March, is finding it increasingly difficult to speak clearly as he has progressive bulbar palsy, which affects speech and swallowing before spreading to the rest of the body.

Last week, the Comet reported how his family have launched an appeal to raise £30,000 for stem cell treatment in a bid to buy Scott some time in the hope a cure is found.

More than £12,000 has so far been raised, including a single donation of £1,000 from a stranger.

Scott’s wife, Catherine, said: “It’s been fantastic. The number of people who have contacted us, it’s been lovely.

“Strangers are so generous. It’s staggering and humbling and it helps us greatly. It makes us feel positive about something and it’s keeping us going.”

Scott will receive the treatment and a new drug called radicut in Moscow, where other patients treated with the same condition have reported improvements.

Community organisation Give Back to Stevenage is backing the appeal and calling for people to take part in a sponsored ice bucket challenge on Saturday, May 27. Full details are on the GBTS Facebook page.

Organiser Sam Wood said: “Scott is fighting for his life, fighting for time to spend with his children, fighting to be with his wife.

“Let’s do this and make Stevenage proud we have helped our own.”

Stevenage’s Roebuck Primary School, where Anna is a pupil, is planning to hold a sponsored Colour Run, and other fundraising activities include a sponsored spinathon, music night, golf day and quiz night. A Facebook page, ‘Fundraising for Scott’, has been set up to coordinate these events.

To make a donation, visit www.gofundme.com/scott-needs-stem-cells