Stewart hopes fundraising will speed up MND cure

A former Premier League striker has vowed to do all that he can to support the research behind finding a cure for motor neurone disease.

Marcus Stewart was diagnosed with the condition in January 2022 and has been one of a number of high profile athletes to raise money for the Darby Rimmer Foundation.

The disease is a breakdown of the relationship between a person's brain and nerves that can shorten life expectancy. Although there are treatments to slow down the effects, there is currently no cure.

Stewart said he hoped his fundraising efforts, along with those of other people, would "speed things up".

According to the MND Association, more than 5,000 adults in the UK are affected by the condition at any one time.

Stewart said he hoped that "some sort of treatment that prolongs life by five or 10 years" could be found in the near future, with a full cure eventually.

"I really believe that we are close," he said. "I've got no stats to prove that but I know how much money has been ploughed in now by various charities and fundraisers."

Providing an update on his own health, Stewart says "progression has been slow" but he now only has around "70% use" of his right arm. .

The Darby Rimmer Foundation was launched by Chris Rimmer, who died from the disease in 2019, in partnership with Stephen Darby, who was diagnosed in 2018.

Its purpose is to find treatments and eventually a cure while supporting the families of people who live with motor neurone disease (MND).

Asked about how funds are allocated, Stewart said: "It's a bit like Dragons' Den.

"There's a trust of people who get together once every three months and decide where the money's going. People pitch how much they need and what they are going to do to cure MND.

"They might need £25,000 to research into which proteins help and which proteins effect MND for example."

The condition is uncommon but it has affected a number of high-profile athletes, including ex-England rugby international Rob Burrow, who died in June 2024.

Stewart said the profiles of the sports stars affected by the disease helped raise awareness of events like March of the Day.

The walk took place in 2024 and is set to happen again this year. It sees a core of professional footballers come together to walk the 175-mile journey between Bradford and Liverpool and has so far raised more than £170,000.

Stewart said: "It's our walk as an MND community, not just mine and Stephen's."

He went on to mention rugby union star Ed Slater and cricketer David (Syd) Lawrence, who both also live with the condition.

"It doesn't discriminate against anyone," Stewart said. "I'm just grateful I've got a bit of a profile along with the other ones I just mentioned, that we can do our bit to raise the profile of MND."

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