Scotland rugby legend George “Doddie” Weir is joining forces with researchers to help tackle MND.
The former British and Irish Lion – who earned 61 caps for Scotland and is now an award-winning after-dinner speaker and MC – has announced his diagnosis to raise awareness of the condition for Global MND Awareness Day, which is on June 21st.
something I think you should know …https://t.co/s3l3QqTSdo@EuansCentre
— Doddie Weir (@DoddieWeir5) June 20, 2017
Weir said: ”Over the past few months a number of friends and family have raised concerns surrounding my health. I think then, that on this day set to help raise awareness of the condition, I should confirm that I too have Motor Neurone Disease. I should like to take this opportunity to thank the National Health Service in recognising then diagnosing this, as yet, incurable disease.
“I am currently on holiday in New Zealand with Kathy and the boys and when we return, I will devote my time towards assisting research and raising awareness and funds to help support fellow sufferers. There are plans in place to create a charitable foundation to help in any way we can and we will share these details with you after our family trip.”
Doddie is supporting researchers at the Euan MacDonald Centre in their quest to better understand the disease, in the hope that it will eventually lead to new therapies.
The former second-row and No. 8 forward follows in the footsteps of another rugby legend in his support for the Centre. South Africa’s Joost Van Der Westhuizen visited the Centre in 2013 to share knowledge and expertise.
Van Der Westhuizen – who was an opponent of Doddie’s in the 1990s – also had MND and passed away in 2017.