Millions invested into effective research
Rugby star Doddie Weir’s charity has reached an £11 million milestone towards finding a cure for MND.
My Name’5 Doddie Foundation (MNDF) has announced it has committed the sum to 40 research projects to help find effective treatments and, one day, a cure for the disease.
The charity, set up by Weir following his diagnosis in 2016, launched a five-year research strategy, Catalysing a Cure, in April this year.
It set out how millions of pounds will be invested into innovative research to find treatments and ultimately a cure for MND, which affects around 5,000 people in the UK at any one time.
The work includes the commitment of up to £500,000, announced for a new project at University College London (UCL) and the Fr ancis Crick Institute aimed at helping understand the impact of DNA damage in the development and progression of MND.
The foundation has this year raised millions to be committed to research, including more than £700,000 through Kenny Logan’s high-profile 700-mile celebrity endurance Rugby World Cup Challenge, £88,000 from a team of Doddie’s former 1988 Scottish Schoolboys teammates, and a record £2 million from the annual Doddie Aid mass participation campaign.
Jill Douglas, chief executive at My Name’5 Doddie Foundation, said: “One year on from Doddie’s death, his presence is as large as ever as a symbol of hope and unity in our relentless drive towards a world free of MND.
“There continues to be huge momentum in MND research, and backed by the thousands of fundraisers who support the foundation, we will continue to work towards the development of new treatments.
“The £11 million the foundation has now committed to that research will have a huge impact on the MND community’s continued efforts, but we know it will take so much more to achieve our goal. That’s where our true commitment remains.”
Jessica Lee, director of research at the foundation, said: “We are committed to funding research that will accelerate the development of new treatments for MND; a devastating condition which currently has no effective options.
“The exciting and potentially ground-breaking nature of these projects is reflected in the significant investment we are making. When we launched our new research strategy, Catalysing a Cure, these kinds of projects, with the potential to open up new therapeutic avenues, were exactly what we had in mind.
“This, of course, is just the beginning, and we will continue to invest in new research in hope of making further breakthroughs in the search for effective treatments for MND, and ensure all funds donated to the foundation have the greatest impact possible.”
