Who We Are

Background & The Founder

Doddie Weir OBE was one of rugby’s most recognisable personalities. He earned 61 caps for Scotland during a successful playing career, represented the British and Irish Lions on their successful tour to South Africa in 1997, and won championships with his two club sides, Melrose and Newcastle Falcons.

A talented, committed and athletic lock forward, Doddie then faced his biggest challenge. In June 2017 the Scot revealed he was suffering from Motor Neuron Disease. From the outset, Doddie was driven to help fellow sufferers and seek ways to further research into this, as yet, incurable disease.

In November 2017, Doddie and his trustees launched the registered charity, My Name’5 Doddie Foundation. Our vision is simple: A World Free of MND.

The number “5” is a special number for the Foundation. It features in the Foundation’s name and is a reference to Doddie’s playing number for his clubs, Melrose and Newcastle Falcons, and the jersey he wore when he earned his 61 caps for Scotland.

The Foundation's Strategic Plan has five main pillars:

Research
Support
Awareness
Sustainability
Love, Fun & Hope

Download our Strategic Plan

Our Impact

We have published our Impact Report – A chance for you to read about how your continued support has allowed us to invest in MND research and help patients and families living with this devastating disease.

Download our Impact Report

How we can help

The Foundation is committed to helping improve the lives of those affected by Motor Neuron Disease. We help to fund grants, giving considerable sums to our friends at MND Association and MND Scotland to administer to individuals and families living with MND.

How We Will Do This

We work in partnership with existing frontline care providers to ensure the holistic needs of patients and their families are understood and met. We do this through supporting our friends at MND Scotland and MND Association who conduct the due diligence and manage these grants on our behalf. To find out more about the grants and to apply, head to either MND Scotland or MND Association’s grant pages.

We initiate and encourage research to better understand the information and support needs of MND patients and their families.

We engage with patients through the provision of information about latest developments and the opportunity to shape research priorities clinical trials and rapidly translating results into clinical practice.

motor neurone disease supporting families

MND Scotland Grants

MND Association Grants

Awareness

It is our aim to be a strong, evidence-based, and trusted voice for MND patients, their families, and the wider community through education, awareness-raising, campaigning, and advocacy activities.

How we’ll fulfill our aim:

Systematically collect and publish evidence of MND patient and family experiences, preferences, perspectives, values, and burden of disease, to inform clinical program priorities, regulatory, HTA decision-making, and care planning.

motor neurone disease awareness megaphone message

Empower and educate patients to become active participants in research, including clinical trials, tissue banking, trial design, and health systems research.
Influence the systems for assessing the benefits of new treatments by providing patient-focused outcomes data and evidence.
Influencing the science, policy and political agenda and building a strong research profile in the UK – i.e. have a seat at the MND research and scientific table.

Raise awareness and establish strong communication channels within key political, media, professional and regulatory stakeholder audiences.
Design and implement appropriate advocacy and media campaigns around relevant MND community issues and needs, and work with others where and when appropriate.

Sustainability

We are focussed on building a great and sustainable business so it can continue to deliver for the MND community and those who embrace its core values.

We will do this through: