MSP’S tears over rugby star’s illness
● Tears in debate following rugby star’s MND diagnosis
An MSP broke down at Holyrood yesterday as he reacted to news that his friend, former Scotland rugby internationalist Doddie Weir, has been diagnosed with Motor Neurone Disease.
Brian Whittle, a Conservative list MSP for the south of Scotland, said: “He’s going to call me such a big Jessie.”
A Tory MSP choked back tears in Holyrood yesterday as he reacted to the news that Scottish rugby legend Doddie Weir had been diagnosed with Motor Neurone Disease (MND).
During a debate on the degenerative disease, Brian Whittle, a Conservative list MSP for the South of Scotland, paid tribute to campaigner and Labour aide Gordon Aikman, who raised £600,000 to fund research into the disease before his death at the age of just 31.
Mr Whittle, a former Olympic runner, then became emotional as he talked about his friend, Mr Weir, who announced on Tuesday that he was battling the illness.
Mr Weir, 46, who was capped 61 times for Scotland and turned out for the British and Irish Lions, made the announcement to mark Global MND Awareness day. European Gold Medallist Mr Whittle, who is the Tories’ health spokesman, confessed he worried Mr Weir would mock him for his emotional display.
Mr Whittle told the Scottish Parliament: “He’s going to call me such a big jessie–my friend Doddie Weir announced he had MND.” After breaking down again, Mr Whittle added: “He is, in fact he’s going to call me a ‘small Jessie’ cos he’s the only man who gets away with calling me ‘Wee Man’”. He told MSPS Mr Weir’s diagnosis showed “the indiscriminate nature of this horrible disease.”
Mr Whittle was supported across the political divide, as SNP MSP and Deputy Presiding Officer Christine Grahame told him: “The last thing you are, Mr Whittle, is that.”
Labour leader Kezia Dugdale tweeted: “Lovely heartfelt speech from Brian Whittle in MND debate - but word to the wise Brian, it takes a real man to cry.”
Other politicians from throughout the chamber also paid tribute to Mr Weir.
Tory MSP Donald Cameron said the former international was one of his childhood heroes, praising him as a “true talisman” of Scottish rugby.
Christina Mckelvie, the SNP MSP who lodged the motion for the debate, also commended the former rugby star’s courage, while her colleague, Maureen Watt, said the “thoughts and prayers” of MSPS were with him and his family.
Edinburgh-born Mr Weir, who is on holiday in New Zealand with his family, has said he will focus on helping research and raising funds on his return. He has given his backing to researchers at the Euan Macdonald Centre at the University of Edinburgh in their attempts to better understand the degenerative condition in the hope it will eventually lead to new therapies.
The sad news that Scotland rugby legend Doddie Weir has been diagnosed with motor neurone disease (MND) has thrust this cruellest of illnesses back into the media spotlight.
There’s something about this condition that taps into our deepest fears, given that it appears to ambush healthy individuals, with their whole lives ahead of them – at the peak of their powers.
Much has been written but little is understood about MND, a rare condition that progressively damages parts of the nervous system, leading to muscle weakness, stiffening and wasting. Motor neurones control muscle activity, including walking, gripping, speaking, swallowing and breathing – as the condition progresses people with MND will find some or all of these activities increasingly difficult. On top of all that – there’s no cure. However, it bears testament to the strength of individuals like Weir, former Rangers star Fernando Ricksen and the political campaigner Gordon Aikman that the plight of the 450 or so people in Scotland currently living with MND is never far from our minds. The first thought of Weir’s, like so many who have received the news, was – “what can I do to help others?”
The press release from the University of Edinburgh didn’t even mention his diagnosis in the introduction – stating that the former British and Irish Lion, who earned 61 caps for Scotland, was joining forces with researchers to help tackle motor neurone disease. Headline hungry journos, God-forbid, had to read as far as the second paragraph to find out the big man’s diagnosis.
Importantly, Doddie has pledged his support for research at the Euan Macdonald Centre, a Scotland-wide research initiative based at the University of Edinburgh. The centre was set up in 2007 by Euan and his father Donald Macdonald, a leading Scottish businessman. It provides support and undertakes cutting-edge research into MND as well as training the next generation of research leaders.
One of Weir’s opponents in the 1990s, South Africa’s Joost Van Der Westhuizen, was also a sufferer and visited the centre in 2013 to pass on his knowledge and expertise – sadly he passed away in 2017. Despite reduced life expectancy of around three years for many with MND, Euan, who was diagnosed 14 years ago, continues to carry out vital work and provides a remarkable insight into what it means to live with MND.
Writing on his blog for Global MND Awareness Day which was on Tuesday, the 43-yearold Edinburgh-based former investment banker highlights how big a part technology plays in helping him communicate. Euan tells how his communication device is the “most important” piece of equipment he has, as essential to him as his ventilator. He says that although he can’t speak he can still make his voice heard through things like social media and email.
It is through initiatives like the Euan Macdonald Centre that hope of finding a cure for MND lives on. The Ice Bucket Challenge raised somewhere in the region of £87 million for MND, also known as amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ASL), and funded six research projects.
One of them has now led to the discovery of a new gene linked to the condition.
Defective variants of the gene, NEK1, are only found in 3 per cent of sufferers but are present in both inherited forms of the disease and “sporadic” cases without any family connection. A small step perhaps, but scientists believe the gene could help them develop new treatments. We live in hope.