FORMER Scotland rugby star Doddie Weir has revealed his frustration at the slow progress being made to find a cure for debilitating illness motor neurone disease (MND).
The former lock, who has been capped 61 times, revealed in June he has the condition while holidaying in New Zealand with his family.
He said while he lives in hope drugs will eventually be found to combat the condition, for the time being he and others with MND can only ponder their future.
The 47-year-old said: “There is frustration and that is with the lack of a solution – for the moment.
“But the apparent shortage of news or progress in finding new drugs to suppress the onset or fight the disease is frustrating – something I share with other sufferers.”
Since he made his diagnosis public, the former British Lions player has campaigned about the disease.
Last week he launched the Doddie Weir’5 Discretionary Trust – named after his rugby shirt number – and announced his aim to establish the My Name’s Doddie Foundation to raise funds for research into the disease.
The father-of-three said he would also devote his time to fundraising for the Euan MacDonald Centre, a research initiative based at the University of Edinburgh.
MND, also known as Lou Gehrig’s Disease, is a progressive and incurable disease which causes muscles to weaken and waste away. It affects around two in every 100,000 people in the UK .
Speaking of his health, he said: “I’m not too bad – probably quite well in terms of what the condition can do. I have some problems with my hands just now, so it can be quite tricky when doing a tie or some buttons on a shirt.
“I might be lucky it started with my hands. Other people it could be their voice or when they are eating, or legs. I can do most things – just a wee bit slower.
“But you have to remember I may have had this condition for maybe a couple of years. So I’m getting on not too bad; I can still walk, still talk, still drive the car, so not too bad. And hopefully that’ll be the same for quite a long time.”
The rugby star made the comments during interviews that will be broadcast by BBC Scotland and STV today.
Weir, who has a farm in the Borders and is a popular after-dinner speaker, said he first had concerns after losing power in his left hand 18 months ago.
He first thought he had injured himself while farming, however other symptoms made him think there could be a wider issue.
“I noticed other wee changes,” he said. “Maybe it wasn’t the right thing to do but I had a look online. When I read that, and saw what the condition meant, I realised I could be in a bit of trouble.”
Weir sought counselling with the J9 Foundation in South Africa, set up after World Cup winner Joost Van Der Westhuizen, who sadly passed way in February, had been diagnosed with MND.
He said: “I’d met him at Murrayfield a few years back, when he was travelling to raise awareness about motor neurone disease, so his J9 Foundation was one of the first places I sought out information. There is a lot of detail to be had on the matter. Unfortunately, less-so a solution.”
Meanwhile, Glasgow Warriors supporters are set to get free bus travel to and from Scotstoun Stadium on match days.
The Warriors have partnered with First Glasgow to provide season ticket members and match ticket holders with bus tickets on the First Glasgow Tickets app.
The initiative aims to encourage supporters to be good neighbours and use public transport to travel to matches.
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