My Name’5 Doddie Foundation announces £18mn milestone for MND research
Melanie May | 26 November 2024 | News
My Name’5 Doddie Foundation, the charity founded by the late rugby legend Doddie Weir, has now committed more than £18 million to motor neuron disease (MND) research – two years on from his death from the neurodegenerative disorder (26 November 2022).
Weir set up My Name’5 Doddie Foundation in 2017 after receiving his MND diagnosis at the age of 46. Since then, it has backed more than 40 research projects looking at all stages of the disease. Its Catalysing a Cure Research strategy, led by Director of Research Jessica Lee, launched in early 2023, directing millions of pounds to research projects for effective treatments and a cure for MND.
The milestone announcement comes alongside the launch of Doddie Aid 2025, the charity’s signature mass participation event, which sees people raise funds through a sport or activity to support the research.
Weir lived with MND for almost six years, and became one of the world’s most prominent MND campaigners during the last years of his life, helping galvanise efforts to develop treatments for the disease, as well as raising millions through the My Name’5 Doddie Foundation. Doddie Aid 2025, which begins on 1 January, has a new expanded four-nations format in which participants will compete against each other, including amongst friends, family, colleagues, communities, and sports clubs. Each nation – England, Ireland, Wales, and Doddie’s native Scotland – will be led by two celebrity star captains set to be announced in December.
A ’new and improved’ app will enable participants to log their miles. Doddie Aid has so far contributed more than £5mn to the MNDF cause since it was launched by Weir’s friend, former teammate, and Scotland captain Rob Wainwright in 2021.
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Nicola Roseman, CEO of My Name’5 Doddie Foundation, said:
“This momentous £18mn research milestone is testament to the thousands of campaigners and supporters who have picked up the baton from Doddie and donated to My Name’5 Doddie Foundation. It is a great achievement – but we have so much more to do. Doddie was relentless in his pursuit of a word free of MND, and it will be up to us to realise his legacy by committing more money to research projects that will make a difference to those with MND.
“Doddie Aid is the focal point of our year and the time when everybody affected directly, indirectly, or who has simply been touched by the many incredible, inspiring, and heartbreaking stories connected to the MND community can do something about it. Every person who signs up is making a difference.
“We miss Doddie always and feel his absence even more on occasions like this anniversary. The best tribute we can all pay to him is to do everything to move closer to that cure – and it starts with Doddie Aid 2025.”
About Melanie May
Melanie May is a journalist and copywriter specialising in writing both for and about the charity and marketing services sectors since 2001. She can be reached via thepurplepim.com.