Lewis Moody MND diagnosis, Digi Mart USA News: Sports star Lewis Moody has spoken about one of the hardest parts he has faced since being diagnosed with motor neurone disease (MND) last year. The 48-year-old appeared in a pre-recorded segment on The One Show with his former teammate Phil Vickery and his wife, Annie, where he reflected on his life since the diagnosis.
Moody said the hardest part is the mental battle. “The way in which I approach life is with positivity,” he said.
“50% of people die within two to three years, but that means 50% don’t.”
He explained that his condition began in his shoulder and is limb-based in onset, gradually switching off muscle function. “Then in the hand, cutting up your meat gets tricky; writing is slower,” he said.
The couple also discussed the moment they had to tell their two sons, Dylan and Ethan, about the diagnosis. Annie said: “Coming back to tell the boys was horrendous.
There is no easy way of telling them something like that. They are so close to their dad; you’re their idol, aren’t you, really.”
Moody responded: “That was really hard, as a parent, to know that you’ve caused distress to your child by sharing a piece of information.”
Moody said one of his primary concerns is making sure he does not waste time, and that it is crucial for him to concentrate on what he can achieve. “All I’ve ever wanted to do since my diagnosis is make sure the family are supported and the other was to have as big an impact as possible within the MND space with the platform that I have.”
Phil Vickery recalled the moment he learned the news. “I remember me crying uncontrollably and you comforting me about your diagnosis,” he said.
Moody acknowledged that Vickery’s reaction mirrored that of everyone else he had told.
“The hardest bit by far is how you share it. So, you have to tell your mum that her only child has got a life-limiting condition,” Moody said.
Moody has recently authored a book about his diagnosis, which he told Vickery will chronicle the journey he has experienced so far. Reflecting on how his sporting background has shaped his outlook, he said: “Your mindset is just programmed to not see anything as a wall, a barrier, it’s just something to overcome.”
“It’s a hurdle, it’s an obstacle, how do you get around it? I can’t necessarily overcome MND, but I can certainly use that same mindset to go, ‘Right, what can I do?'”
