Former England rugby captain Lewis Moody described it as a 'joy' to reunite with his teammates as he completed a 500-mile fundraising cycle for motor neurone disease (MND) research. Moody, diagnosed with MND last September, finished his seven-day ride at Twickenham on Saturday, crossing the finish line at Allianz Stadium with his wife Annie and sons Dylan and Ethan by his side.
Fundraising Success and Impact
The 2003 World Cup winner set off from Newcastle last Sunday, and the challenge has raised over £500,000 so far for Doddie Weir’s My Name’5 Doddie Foundation. Former Scotland forward Weir died of MND in 2022 at age 52; his charity has raised more than £23.5 million for research. Ex-Leeds rugby league star Rob Burrow lived with MND for over four years before his death in 2024 at age 41, and his former teammate Sir Kevin Sinfield has raised over £11 million for MND causes in his memory.
Teammate Reunions and Support
During the ride, Moody reunited with former England teammates including Martin Johnson, Jonny Wilkinson, and Martin Corry. Speaking after the challenge, Moody said: 'It’s meant the world to me to see the level of support we’ve had all along the route. When you’re part of a team, it’s about standing up for each other, and whilst it’s a tough reason for us all to come together – my diagnosis – they’re desperate to help me, my family, and the Foundation get to where we need to. It’s been a joy to come together with all my teammates – we don’t get to do it very often – and it’s been fantastic to all come together to try and help us tackle motor neuron disease.'
Ex-rugby internationals Kenny Logan, Geordan Murphy, Louis Deacon, and Joe Worsley were also part of the support team accompanying Moody throughout the ride. Moody added: 'Throughout this ride, we’ve met so many people living with motor neuron disease at different stages of progression, and for me and my family to see that is hard, but you have to front up to the reality of the disease, because it is a difficult disease. But there is hope in this space now, because of the work Doddie did, because of the work Rob Burrow did, and because of the work I want to do, but hope is meaningless without action, and that’s why we’re here, and that’s why we need everybody from all walks of life to front up too.'
Personal Reflections and Future Hopes
Moody reflected on his diagnosis: 'I don’t want to be the person that everybody is here for – because of my diagnosis – but strange though it sounds, it is a privilege to be in this position. We are here to raise as much money as possible to make as big a difference as possible and we’ll do that through My Name’5 Doddie Foundation.' Paul Thompson, director of fundraising at My Name’5 Doddie Foundation, said: 'For Lewis, his family, and the whole team to complete this ride at Twickenham after more than 500 miles on the road is a truly special moment. Raising more than £500,000 is an extraordinary achievement and a testament to the determination of everyone involved and the generosity of supporters across the country. Most importantly, this challenge has helped us to continue to shine a spotlight on motor neuron disease and the urgent need to fund research into effective treatments and a cure. Donations are still coming in, and every pound raised will help us continue the work started by Doddie and bring hope to people living with MND and their families.'
Anyone wishing to donate can find more information at lewismoodyxv-cyclechallenge.com or myname5doddie.com.
