Doddie Weir: Scottish rugby star dies aged 52
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Former Scotland rugby union international Doddie Weir died on Saturday after a courageous six-year battle during which time he helped raise awareness of the degenerative disease.
But now, grief-stricken family and friends have hit out at delays in the £50million Government funding promised to accelerate MND research.
The star was instrumental in backing our sister paper The Sunday Express’s Fund The Fight To Cure MND crusade that secured money for a national research institute last year.
He also founded the My Name’5 Doddie Foundation in 2017 and helped secure £8million for MND research.
Kevin Sinfield has raised millions for MND charities after being inspired by Weir as well as his former Leeds Rhinos team-mate Rob Burrow and ex-Bradford City captain Stephen Darby. Both live with MND.
Rugby league star Sinfield said: “The most important thing for someone who has been diagnosed is time and they’re running out of time. I can’t see any excuse why that money has been held back.”
He added: “I understand red tape and bureaucracy… but I just don’t see a valid reason at this point.”
Sinfield pointed to the money the Government has spent on Covid-19 since the start of the pandemic and said that the £50million for MND research was a “drop in the ocean”.
“That money is there. We want to provide hope and a future for this community,” he said.
Burrow also accused ministers of holding back the cash. He tweeted: “So sad to hear the news of the passing of my MND hero Doddie Weir.
“I’m sorry to say, how many more warriors die before this stupid government give the 50m they said they would give.”
Business Secretary Grant Shapps insisted: “There is a lot of money and a lot of funded clinical trials on motor neurone disease.”
He added: “We saw what they did with Covid and the way that vaccine trials were done so quickly and rolled out. I think it’s important that happens in other areas of medicine, of course including MND.”
A Department of Health and Social Care spokesperson said: “We’ve already funded clinical trials for various drugs which have shown promise in tackling motor neurone disease.
“We encourage researchers to make applications for this funding which is available now.”
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