WE DID IT! Government gives £50m for targeted MND research

15 November 2021

After two years, the United To End MND campaign has successfully secured a Government investment of £50 million into targeted MND research.

The Government made the announcement on Sunday 14 November, with Prime Minister Boris Johnson congratulating the charities and the Sunday Express, which adopted the campaign under the banner ‘Fund The Fight To Cure MND’, on a ‘fantastic campaign’. He said he would ‘throw the full weight of the Government, industry and civil society behind a new British led scientific mission to transform the fight against this devastating disease’.

Secretary of State for Health and Social Care Sajid Javid, who met the campaigners at Westminster in September, described the campaign as ‘hugely important’.

The Government has committed to investing £375 million into research into neurodegenerative diseases. The £50 million targeted at MND research will be made available over five years – exactly as the campaign requested.

Sean McGrath, the Medical Strategy Lead for the My Name’5 Doddie Foundation added: “We are naturally delighted with this news and are very pleased that the government officials have understood what our campaign was all about. But we also know that the hard work starts now and we will be relentless in our quest for meaningful treatments for this awful disease. The bond between the charities, patients and researchers has grown closer throughout this two year campaign and we will use this as the springboard to accelerate the much needed research.”

Doddie Weir, Founder of My Name’5 Doddie Foundation commented: “Driving back from Murrayfield, we heard this great news. Just amazing. We have worked really hard to push MND up the agenda and we are all working together to make progress. It is great that the government has listened and joined our team. We are stronger together. A lot of work still needs to be done, the £50 million is a start but charities and industry needs to match this to bring about real change - we (my Foundation) will carry on funding research and supporting people with MND thanks to our brilliant supporters who have been with us every step of the way. It shows what can be done when we speak with one voice and collaborate.

“This week our Foundation hosted our regular Scientific Advisory Board at Drumlanrig Castle. We met some of the best neurologists and researchers in the world and there is a real sense of urgency and optimism in the MND research community. But we must keep up the momentum to give people living with  MND and those who are yet to be diagnosed some hope. This is a great step in that direction.”