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Rugby legend Doddie Weir opens up on battle with motor neurone disease on GMB


Scottish rugby legend Doddie Weir has opened up on his life with motor neurone disease and the impact coronavirus has had on his life.

Weir, who made 61 appearances for Scotland between 1990-2000, was diagnosed with MND in June 2017.

Speaking on ITV’s Good Morning Britain, Weir said that lockdown had made living with the condition even tougher.

“Lockdown has been quite tricky,” he said, speaking from home via video link.

“But thankfully the first minister in Scotland – which again, is great news for this weekend – has relaxed the rules a little bit so I can finally get out and see people.”

Weir spoke to Good Morning Britain

Weir is thankful that MND research centres will soon be able to reopen but believes that, for now, a positive mindset is the most important thing for somebody with the disease.

“Setting up the foundation was a great thing because as your listeners may understand, MND has been around for a long while,” he said.

“There’s only one drug that came out maybe 30 years ago and nothing has happened since, so people with MND really have no chance.

“The only drug that we do have at the moment – the best thing – is your mind and your positivity. If you’ve got that then you’re in good shape.”

Weir, who set up the My Name’5 Doddie Foundation for MND research in 2018 which has since raised over £1 million, said that 2020 was supposed to have been a good year for trials.

“So 2020 was going to be a great year for trials,” he continued.

“They’ve been put on hold but now they can resume again and give people with MND a little glimmer of hope that there’s things happening behind the scenes.”

Donations to the foundation can be made via https://www.myname5doddie.co.uk/donate.





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