More than 1,000 people affected by motor neuron disease (MND) have been directly helped by grants funded by the My Name’5 Doddie Foundation set up by rugby legend Doddie Weir.
That support is set to continue with the My Name’5 Doddie Foundation pledging another year of support to the Motor Neurone Disease Association of England, Wales and Northern Ireland and MND Scotland’s care grants programmes.
The announcement marks the start of a third year of support from the Foundation set up by the former British and Irish Lion and Scottish international. While much of the money raised by the Foundation is directed into research, a significant amount is pledged to directly help people who are living with the disease via the Motor Neurone Disease Association and MND Scotland. In total the Foundation has donated £400,000 to the MND Association and £250,000 to MND Scotland.
People with MND can apply for care grants to help with the cost of home adaptations – for instance ramps and stairlifts, equipment such as specialist bathroom facilities and riser recliner chairs, and for respite activities for carers and families.
The MND Association’s care grants programme totals more than £1million annually and, in 2019, helped 1,425 people living with MND, carers and young people affected by the disease. MND Scotland helped 250 people affected by MND in 2019, through the charity’s grants programme, awarding almost £300,000 to families in Scotland.
Doddie said: “We are delighted to know that we have been able to help so many families over the last two years. There are many challenges to living with MND and it has been my aim to help people in a similar situation to myself live as full a life as possible. The grant schemes are vital and we are only able to help in this way thanks to the amazing support we receive from our fundraisers and friends every day.”
Jill Douglas is the chief executive of My Name’5 Doddie Foundation. She said: “One of our key aims is to give support to families living with MND and we recognise that the MND Association and MND Scotland have the necessary expertise and experience to administer these vital grants on our behalf. They are successful partnerships and we very much appreciate the relationships and how they enable us to fulfil this important goal.”
The MND Association’s chief executive Sally Light said: “We are so grateful for Doddie’s continuing support of the MND Association and his determination to make life better for people like himself who have received this devastating diagnosis. The generous donations from the Foundation and continued partnership with us will make a real difference to those living with MND as well as their carers and loved ones.”
Craig Stockton, MND Scotland’s chief executive, said: “The support from the My Name’5 Doddie Foundation is helping us provide vital support to even more families across the country, when they need it the most. I’d like to thank Doddie and his foundation for their generosity, and commitment to improving the lives of those affected. Through our grants programme we are able to remove some of the additional stress that financial worries can cause, and allow people to concentrate on living their lives.”
For more information about MND and the grants available visit www.mndassociation.org/grants or www.mndscotland.org.uk/grants.
