Former England Rugby Captain Lewis Moody Cycles 500 Miles for MND Awareness

Lewis Moody, the former England rugby captain, has begun an 804km (500-mile) cycling challenge to raise awareness for Motor Neurone Disease (MND) after his own diagnosis. The 48-year-old departed from Newcastle Red Bulls’ stadium, accompanied by over a dozen rugby players, friends, and family, en route to Rugby HQ in Twickenham.

Mr. Moody paid tribute to George “Doddie” Weir, a former Red Bulls player who died from MND in 2022. He acknowledged the efforts of MND campaigners, such as Kevin Sinfield, stating that their work provided hope for advancements towards a cure.

The Lewis Moody XV Challenge, which is raising funds for the My Name’5 Doddie Foundation, will include stops in Durham and Ripon Rugby Club during its initial leg. The team will then visit all five of Mr. Moody’s former clubs, including Leicester Tigers and Bath, before their arrival in Twickenham on Thursday.

“It’s not a pleasant diagnosis, but you have to approach these things with a positive mindset,” Mr. Moody stated. “Having the energy of people in Newcastle, all my former teammates, crew, I am just genuinely excited to get into it.”

Mr. Moody was joined by Mr. Weir’s wife, Kathy, and son, Hamish, who plays for Melrose Rugby in Scotland. Kathy Weir expressed that Doddie “would be so proud that we are all back here and still trying to find that cure for MND.”

James Campbell from Newcastle, who has also received an MND diagnosis, attended the send-off to support the cyclists. He remarked, “I wanted to support the racers heading off… I think it’s tremendous of him to put himself through this. It’s incredible.”

Mr. Moody added that he is relying on his team’s collective efforts to maintain his “strength up” both mentally and physically to complete the arduous challenge.