Rugby legend Doddie: I’m making most of precious time
‘Kindness and generosity’
RUGBY legend Doddie Weir has described his life with motor neurone disease as a ‘living wake’ as he makes the most of the precious time he has left.
The former Scotland player was diagnosed in 2016 and says he is ‘still functioning’, although he admits he needs help with some tasks and can no longer play rugby with his children.
Mr Weir, 4 , said learning of the death of fellow sufferers has made him determined to make the most of his time by spending it with his family and raising cash to find a cure.
He told the Daily Telegraph: ‘The deterioration has been gradual. Say, you have about ten muscles in your arms and shoulders, I probably have three or four active muscles. That means they have to work three or four times as hard.
‘Something as simple as making myself a cup of tea can leave me pouring with sweat.’
The father of three added: ‘The worst thing is when I see my kids throwing a rugby ball outside and knowing that I cannot really join in.’
Mr Weir recently travelled to Hong Kong for the World Rugby Sevens Series, which included a dinner for the MyName’5 Doddie Foundation, the charity he set up to raise funds for research into a cure for MND.
To date the foundation has invested £2.4million into MND research projects.
‘I am trying to make the most of every moment that I have,’ he said: ‘Essentially, I am enjoying a living wake. For all the misery it has caused, it has brought out so much kindness and generosity from people.’