Latest news with #Doddie'sLionsChallenge
Powys County Times
04-07-2025
- Entertainment
- Powys County Times
Sport stars pay tribute to late Doddie Weir in birthday video
Rugby stars Kenny Logan and Rob Wainwright and other sporting legends have paid tribute to the late Doddie Weir in a video released on what would have been his 55th birthday. The video has been created to honour the memory of Weir, and the legacy of the foundation he set up to find effective treatments for motor neurone disease (MND) after he was diagnosed with it in 2016. Weir founded the My Name'5 Doddie Foundation in 2017, and died in November 2022 aged 52. Those in the video include Olympic swimming medallist Duncan Scott, Olympic curling medallist Eve Muirhead, broadcaster and ex-footballer Ally McCoist, former England rugby player Mike Tindall and British and Irish Lions fly-half Fin Smith. Supporters from across the UK will wear Doddie tartan to work on Friday July 4, as part of a tradition marking what would have been the former rugby player's birthday. Kenny Logan, who played alongside Doddie as part of the 1999 Five Nations-winning Scotland side, said: 'Doddie was a leader in life, and he remains a leader in death. 'His memory inspires thousands of people, both inside and outside of the MND community, to take action and help bring an end to this devastating disease. 'We all know Doddie should still be here with us. He brought light and laughter into every room, even in the darkest days. It's up to all of us to dig deep, keep fundraising and finish what he started. 'We do it because we miss him. We do it because we love him. And we do it because nobody else should have to go through what he and his family did.' The My Name'5 Doddie Foundation has now committed almost £20 million to targeted research projects and launched a Catalysing A Cure strategy to speed up the search for effective treatments. Earlier this year it pledged £4 million to the MND Discovery Network, a new UK-wide initiative connecting leading scientists to accelerate progress. The film also features Jennie Starkey, who is living with MND and is part of the Foundation's Discovery Network board. The video comes after the end of the Doddie's Lions Challenge, in which a team led by Logan and including Ally McCoist, Gabby Logan, and Doddie's widow Kathy, cycled 555 miles around the island of Ireland in five days to deliver the match ball for the British and Irish Lions vs Argentina fixture in Dublin. The ride has so far raised almost £650,000 for MND research. My Name'5 Doddie Foundation chief executive Nicola Roseman, said: 'Doddie's spirit continues to galvanise the MND community. 'The outpouring of support and emotion on what would have been his 55th birthday shows just how many lives he touched and how much his story still matters. It also reminds us that there is still work to be done. 'Every birthday that passes without Doddie is another reminder of the urgency of our mission.'
ITV News
03-07-2025
- Entertainment
- ITV News
Sport stars pay tribute to late Doddie Weir in birthday video
Rugby stars Kenny Logan and Rob Wainwright and other sporting legends have paid tribute to the late Doddie Weir in a video released on what would have been his 55th birthday. The video has been created to honour the memory of Weir, and the legacy of the foundation he set up to find effective treatments for motor neurone disease (MND) after he was diagnosed with it in 2016. Weir founded the My Name'5 Doddie Foundation in 2017, and died in November 2022 aged 52. Those in the video include Olympic swimming medallist Duncan Scott, Olympic curling medallist Eve Muirhead, broadcaster and ex-footballer Ally McCoist, former England rugby player Mike Tindall and British and Irish Lions fly-half Fin Smith. Supporters from across the UK will wear Doddie tartan to work on Friday July 4, as part of a tradition marking what would have been the former rugby player's birthday. Kenny Logan, who played alongside Doddie as part of the 1999 Five Nations-winning Scotland side, said: 'Doddie was a leader in life, and he remains a leader in death. 'His memory inspires thousands of people, both inside and outside of the MND community, to take action and help bring an end to this devastating disease. 'We all know Doddie should still be here with us. He brought light and laughter into every room, even in the darkest days. It's up to all of us to dig deep, keep fundraising and finish what he started. 'We do it because we miss him. We do it because we love him. And we do it because nobody else should have to go through what he and his family did.' The My Name'5 Doddie Foundation has now committed almost £20 million to targeted research projects and launched a Catalysing A Cure strategy to speed up the search for effective treatments. Earlier this year it pledged £4 million to the MND Discovery Network, a new UK-wide initiative connecting leading scientists to accelerate progress. The film also features Jennie Starkey, who is living with MND and is part of the Foundation's Discovery Network board. The video comes after the end of the Doddie's Lions Challenge, in which a team led by Logan and including Ally McCoist, Gabby Logan, and Doddie's widow Kathy, cycled 555 miles around the island of Ireland in five days to deliver the match ball for the British and Irish Lions vs Argentina fixture in Dublin. The ride has so far raised almost £650,000 for MND research. My Name'5 Doddie Foundation chief executive Nicola Roseman, said: 'Doddie's spirit continues to galvanise the MND community. 'The outpouring of support and emotion on what would have been his 55th birthday shows just how many lives he touched and how much his story still matters. It also reminds us that there is still work to be done. 'Every birthday that passes without Doddie is another reminder of the urgency of our mission.'
Irish Independent
20-06-2025
- Health
- Irish Independent
‘We need someone to carry the torch,' says Dublin dad with MND urging for new Irish voice in fight against disease
His plea comes as Kenny Logan and a team of sporting stars complete a 555-mile charity cycle at the Aviva Stadium today. Andrés Estevez-Guersanik (45), originally from Argentina but living in Dublin for 20 years, said Ireland needs a public champion to raise awareness and funding for MND, warning that momentum could fade without a high-profile voice. The father-of-two said: 'We had Charlie Bird and Fr Tony Coote. They made such a difference as they got the nation talking, but they're not here anymore and no one has stepped in. And without that voice, that figure, the momentum is at risk of fading. 'We need someone new to carry the torch for awareness and to change how people treat this disease, how quickly you're diagnosed, how services work. That only happens when someone with a platform says, 'Enough.' When they say, 'This matters.'' Andrés was speaking as he prepares to greet Logan and the team to Dublin and the Aviva Stadium today as they complete Doddie's Lions Challenge – a 555-mile cycle around Ireland raising funds for My Name'5 Doddie Foundation. Andrés described his own diagnosis as a 'rollercoaster of emotions'. A passionate runner and cyclist, he said it was devastating to learn he had an incurable illness. 'Suddenly, everything has a different meaning,' he said. 'I value small things much more, and these small things are now the essence of life — sitting down for a coffee and chatting, or the possibility of doing simple little things.' He spoke as Scotland rugby hero Logan led a team including football legend Ally McCoist, broadcaster Gabby Logan, and actor Jamie Bamber on the final leg of Doddie's Lions Challenge, a gruelling cycle raising funds for MND research through My Name'5 Doddie Foundation. The group — cycling around 100 miles a day across Ireland's rugby heartlands — has already raised more than £500,000, with further donations supporting both the Foundation and the Irish Motor Neurone Disease Association. Andrés, once a keen marathon runner and cyclist, now relies on support from the IMNDA and is awaiting a hospice bed for respite care. He said public figures are key to changing how people respond to the disease. 'A voice helps people connect with MND — that's the shift we need in Ireland. Because MND can happen to anyone, and people deserve better when it does,' he added. Kenny Logan will lead a team of celebrities on the cycle including his wife, broadcaster Gabby Logan, football legend Ally McCoist, and actor Jamie Bamber. The group will cycle approximately 100 miles a day across some of Ireland's most scenic and historic rugby heartlands, stopping at the home clubs of Lions' legends throughout. The former Scotland winger said: 'Doddie put MND on the map, and we're committed to carrying on his legacy. If this ride helps shine a light and inspires someone in Irish sport to pick up the torch, then it's already a success. 'We've had an unbelievable time in Ireland and it's been incredible to meet members of the rugby and MND communities who have welcomed us with open arms. We're all excited to get to the Aviva to watch the game with Andrés – even though we'll be cheering on different sides!'
