Lewis Moody Receives Support Following MND Diagnosis
Former England captain Lewis Moody has been deeply moved by the "outpouring of love and support" after revealing his diagnosis with motor neurone disease (MND). The 2003 World Cup winner announced last month that he has the incurable muscle-wasting condition that also claimed the lives of rugby players Doddie Weir, Rob Burrow, and Joost van der Westhuizen.
At England's Test match against Australia on Saturday, Moody was warmly welcomed by the crowd when he carried the match ball onto the pitch at Allianz Stadium. Additionally, a GoFundMe page has been created to support Moody and his family during this challenging time.
"It's been wonderful in the sense of the outpouring of love and support, which has just been constant," Moody told BBC Breakfast. "It's been slightly overwhelming at times, but it all comes from such a beautiful and wonderful place."
"It's been a strange time, but for me and my family, we've just felt that warm embrace of everyone coming around us and supporting us."
"My background is in rugby and people talk about that community, but the MND community that I'm now a part of has just really embraced us and we feel really lucky as a family to be a part of it."
Additional Context
- Lewis Moody is a former Leicester flanker and England rugby captain.
- Motor neurone disease (MND) is an incurable condition causing muscle wasting.
- There is no proven link between rugby and MND, according to experts.
This strong community support highlights the solidarity between the rugby and MND communities during difficult times.
Author's summary: Lewis Moody has been embraced by both rugby and MND communities, receiving overwhelming support since his motor neurone disease diagnosis, underscoring the strength of these united networks.