Former England Rugby captain Lewis Moody will begin a 500-mile cycling challenge for MND research at Newcastle Red Bulls on June 14. The seven-day ride, organised by the My Name’5 Doddie Foundation, will end at Twickenham's Allianz Stadium on June 20, where Moody will deliver the match ball for the Gallagher Premiership final.
Moody, 47, was diagnosed with motor neurone disease last autumn. He will be joined by Kathy and Hamish Weir, the wife and son of the late Doddie Weir, who founded the foundation and died from MND in 2022. Moody described their presence as "incredibly poignant and powerful", adding that the ride feels like "continuing something he started".
Alongside the Weirs, a group of rugby stars will accompany Moody during the challenge. He said: "When you get diagnosed with something like MND, you very quickly realise how important people are. This ride is about mates coming together, communities coming together, and hopefully showing people living with MND that they are not alone."
Paul Thompson, director of fundraising at the My Name’5 Doddie Foundation, said: "Lewis has already inspired so many people through the way he has approached his diagnosis, and this challenge is another example of that courage and leadership." The foundation aims to accelerate research towards effective treatments and a cure for MND.
