James is grateful for the support already provided by the My Name’5 Doddie Foundation.

The Foundation was set up by Scottish Rugby legend Doddie Weir. In June 2017 the Scot revealed he was suffering from Motor Neuron Disease (MND). From the outset, Doddie has been driven to help fellow sufferers and seek ways to further research into this, as yet, incurable disease. In November 2017, Doddie and his trustees launched the registered charity, My Name’5 Doddie Foundation.

The following information has been provided by the My Name’5 Doddie Foundation to add further context and clarity to the ongoing research and funding the Foundation is providing and championing.

The My Name’5 Doddie Foundation was established by Doddie and the Trustees in response to his frustration at the lack of options given to MND sufferers – no effective treatment, no access to meaningful clinical trials and no hope.

The Foundation has already donated millions of pounds for targeted MND research projects and are committed to continuing to invest in the most promising research to help find new treatments, gain improved knowledge and ultimately find a cure.

MND is a complex disease and, although we now have a much greater understanding of the genetics involved, the link between genes, environmental and lifestyle factors is not well understood.  Further research is critical to unravelling these details.

My Name’5 Doddie Foundation continues to commit significant funds into MND research that will help us to understand its causes. Understanding the causes of MND is crucial to achieving the vision of the foundation; a world free of MND.

For more information on the work of the My Name’5 Doddie Foundation, we would encourage to visit their website: www.myname5doddie.co.uk.

For more information on MND, please visit the Motor Neuron Disease Association website, here: www.mndassociation.org.