At last, the MND fight gets vital funding

MOTOR Neurone Disease (MND) is an appalling condition which strips its victims of their mobility, their dignity and, ultimately, their life.

There are currently more than 5,000 sufferers of this condition in the UK and six people here lose their lives to it every day.

But now at last there is hope for people such as rugby legends Doddieweir and Rob Burrow, as well as their families, that a cure can be found to this most awful of diseases.

The Sunday Express has been proud to support the United To End MND campaign launched by charities including the MND Association, MND Scotland and My Name’5 Doddie.

Their vision for an MND Institute to find a cure has been inspirational and clearly set out.

We are even prouder that Boris Johnson and his Government, including Health Secretary Sajid Javid and Business Secretary Kwasi Kwarteng, have decided to do the right thing in providing £50million of new investment in scientific research for this important cause.

At a time when our elected politicians are coming under scrutiny again for outside interests, this is a visible symbol of how politics and politicians can be a power for good.

And the Prime Minister should be congratulated for what he is doing not only to tackle MND but a series of other neurodegenerative conditions such as Pick’s disease, Frontotemporal dementia, Wernicke-Korsakoff, Parkinson’s disease, Lewy body dementia, Alzheimer’s and mild cognitive impairment, in a £375million package.

All these conditions blight lives and cause untold suffering for many thousands of people.

Mr Johnson is also right to tie in this funding with Britain becoming “a Science Superpower”, something which of course was only achievable because the UK has left the EU.

It has freed up our universities and medical researchers from the EU red tape and allows the country to search for the cures for diseases which have baffled scientists until now.

This will not just benefit people here in Britain but many millions around the world.

That is the true meaning of Global Britain.

There have been many stories highlighted on the pages of this newspaper as we have supported the charities with our own Fund The Fight To Cure MND crusade.

We are also very grateful for the support we have received from you, our readers, as we have made the case alongside the charities for this funding.

While £50million over five years sounds a lot it is a small amount when you consider the Government spent £928billion of taxpayers’ money last year.this investment in MND research is comparatively tiny but it brings with it the hope of enormous results.

A great investment in health indeed.

Now funding is there, let us hope that the scientists and researchers are able to grab this unique opportunity and end the suffering of thousands of MND victims.