Former England captain Lewis Moody has revealed the symptoms he’s endured following his devastating Motor Neurone Disease diagnosis. The 47-year-old turned to social media to share the crushing news about his health condition on Monday.
Moody, who secured 71 caps for England and clinched the Rugby World Cup in 2003, confessed the revelation has been “incredibly hard” on his family. MND is a progressive neurological condition which impacts motor nerves in both the brain and spinal cord. As the illness advances, it triggers muscle weakness, stiffness and paralysis as the patient’s capacity to walk, talk, swallow and breathe can be compromised.
Whilst Moody acknowledged his symptoms were minimal, having only encountered muscle deterioration in the hand and the shoulder, there are numerous other indicators of the condition being present. According to the NHS website, there are seven warning signs of MND which are rigid or weak hands, weak legs and feet, twitches, spasms or muscle cramps.
They note that as the condition deteriorates, additional symptoms begin to emerge, including problems with breathing, swallowing and speaking. Patients may also generate excessive amounts of saliva, experience alterations in mood and personality, confronting challenges to walk or move and enduring the struggle of climbing stairs.
The impact it has on your movement also means stumbling may be frequent as well as finding it challenging to lift or move your foot. In a heartfelt social media post, Moody penned: “I’m writing to share some tough news. I have recently been diagnosed with ALS, also known as Motor Neurone Disease (MND). This has been incredibly hard to process and a huge shock to me and my family.
“I feel fit and well in myself and I’m focused on staying positive, living life and dealing with the changes I will experience as they come. I am being well supported by my family, friends and medical professionals and I’m truly grateful to those who, in their time, helped progress research to support others, like me, living with this disease.
“Since retiring from the sport I love, and alongside my wife Annie, I’ve been able to dedicate much of the past 12 years to fundraising for The Lewis Moody Foundation in support of those affected by brain tumours.
“My plan is to continue with this but to also create an opportunity to support a charity closer to my current situation. I would be so grateful for your help with this and look forward to sharing more, once I am clear on what this looks like.
“For now, please know I feel your love and support; all I ask is that I am given some space to navigate this with my wife and sons, and those closest to us – but without doubt, I will continue to embrace life and grasp opportunities in the same way I always have. Take care, Lewis.”
Despite his diagnosis, Moody confessed he’s still finding the time to work out during his interview with the BBC as he sat alongside his wife Annie. “I try and keep fit, I try and train a couple of times a week still,” he explained. “Otherwise, I get grumpy and Annie gets annoyed with me. I have to make sure I’m letting out the physical frustrations and emotions.
