Doddie Weir

[weecounty hibby]

RIP to a rugby legend and an absolute gentleman. Battled right to the end and has done so much for MND awareness.

[Hibrandenburg]

RIP to a rugby legend and an absolute gentleman. Battled right to the end and has done so much for MND awareness.

A truly inspirational character.

[Just_Jimmy]

I lost my Mum to MND in May. Doddie has been a huge source of inspiration for me, he was one of my rugby heroes too.

I'm struggling to hold back the tears.

RIP Legend.

Sent from my SM-G991B using Tapatalk

[Skol]

I am not a rugby fan but I bought and loved his book. A great man and a sad day.

[He's here!]

There's also a thread on the main board. As I said there it's genuinely upsetting to hear this. Doddie was a great sportsman, a great character and a great Scot.

[patch1875]

Very sad. Been to a couple of his fundraisers such a wonderful guy.

[Santa Cruz]

Very sad news. RIP.

[McD]

A hero of mine when I was a boy, and became more as a man, a legend and inspiration of a man with how he bravely took on this challenge, working to help people he’d never meet and knowing he’d not see the benefit of the work he so willingly undertook.

I hope his family can take some solace in knowing he’s not suffering any more, and in the sheer impact he’s had, and the love so many people across the world feel for him.

rest easy

[Pretty Boy]

Very sad news. Both Doddie and his family showed great courage to share his illness so publicly until the very end.

Hopefully the efforts of the likes of Doddie and Kevin Sinfield in raising both awareness and money will leave a legacy of hope for future generations.

RIP.

[James310]

Sad news, raised awareness of a disease I knew little about before but now know so much more.

[Moulin Yarns]

https://chng.it/bD6wWpWvPp


Sign the petition to get a stand at murrayfield named after Doddie

[WeeRussell]

Actually had the pleasure of playing a few 5 aside football games with Doddie, the best part of 2 decades ago.

As you can imagine, not the most graceful of footballers but a joy to be on the same side as 😁

[Santa Cruz]

Actually had the pleasure of playing a few 5 aside football games with Doddie, the best part of 2 decades ago.

As you can imagine, not the most graceful of footballers but a joy to be on the same side as 😁

What a lovely memory to have.

[WeeRussell]

What a lovely memory to have.

Yeah, I remember as a young lad at the time loving being on his side because of his character and how excited he got if I scored or went through on goal. Referring to me as “young whipper snapper”. All this in a meaningless, all ages, 5 aside match 😂

I can’t claim to have ever known Doddie well but still have a couple of gems I always remember.

A far more recent one was when I was getting on a train at the same platform as him and his wife and kids. He was dressed-up (you can imagine) and I said something along the lines of “alright Doddie, what’s on today?”. He replied “ah just a wee spot of lunch.”

I found out on social media later that day he was in fact going up to be awarded his OBE.

[Smartie]

I was never a huge rugby fan but one of the things that has struck me over the past few days has been the number of photographs that folk have posted of them being young rugby players alongside a youthful Doddie Weir, who had gone along to see them at their respective junior clubs. We're not talking about a fairly small area around where he was from, we're talking about him travelling quite far afield.

When I was at school I remember it being quite a big deal that a Scottish internationalist would come and spend time with the young players from my home town and I remember everyone holding him in really high regard. These things mean the world to youngsters, and it's interesting now, with the benefit of a few decades having passed since these photos were taken to spot some of the people in the photographs who have gone on to have careers in sport and how they have chosen to conduct themselves.

So whilst a lot is made of Doddie's brave battle against his disease and the incredible work he's done to raise awareness of MND, I sort of prefer to remember someone I've always held in the highest regard because of how he conducted himself at the peak of his powers, acting as a true inspiration to a generation of young Scots who looked up to him.

We need more people like him in the world and he's a massive loss to the human race.

[Santa Cruz]

I was never a huge rugby fan but one of the things that has struck me over the past few days has been the number of photographs that folk have posted of them being young rugby players alongside a youthful Doddie Weir, who had gone along to see them at their respective junior clubs. We're not talking about a fairly small area around where he was from, we're talking about him travelling quite far afield.

When I was at school I remember it being quite a big deal that a Scottish internationalist would come and spend time with the young players from my home town and I remember everyone holding him in really high regard. These things mean the world to youngsters, and it's interesting now, with the benefit of a few decades having passed since these photos were taken to spot some of the people in the photographs who have gone on to have careers in sport and how they have chosen to conduct themselves.

So whilst a lot is made of Doddie's brave battle against his disease and the incredible work he's done to raise awareness of MND, I sort of prefer to remember someone I've always held in the highest regard because of how he conducted himself at the peak of his powers, acting as a true inspiration to a generation of young Scots who looked up to him.

We need more people like him in the world and he's a massive loss to the human race.

The saying "only the good die young" seems appropriate after reading your post.

[McD]

I was never a huge rugby fan but one of the things that has struck me over the past few days has been the number of photographs that folk have posted of them being young rugby players alongside a youthful Doddie Weir, who had gone along to see them at their respective junior clubs. We're not talking about a fairly small area around where he was from, we're talking about him travelling quite far afield.

When I was at school I remember it being quite a big deal that a Scottish internationalist would come and spend time with the young players from my home town and I remember everyone holding him in really high regard. These things mean the world to youngsters, and it's interesting now, with the benefit of a few decades having passed since these photos were taken to spot some of the people in the photographs who have gone on to have careers in sport and how they have chosen to conduct themselves.

So whilst a lot is made of Doddie's brave battle against his disease and the incredible work he's done to raise awareness of MND, I sort of prefer to remember someone I've always held in the highest regard because of how he conducted himself at the peak of his powers, acting as a true inspiration to a generation of young Scots who looked up to him.

We need more people like him in the world and he's a massive loss to the human race.

I think it says so much for the man he was, that there are so many of these stories and photographs of him over decades of time, and to contrast that and hopefully reinforce the strength of the experiences people shared with him, I have an experience to share about other former rugby internationals, one of whom was a current one at the time.

as a teenager I played rugby and got involved in coaching for a few years in my later-ish teens, and was invited (along with my dad who also coached) by my school coach to help coach at a new start mini rugby setup. The following summer, there was a big push to get more people and kids involved, a few phone calls were made and a number of former and 1 current Scotland internationals agreed to come along, meet and greet and so on, and play a bounce touch match alongside the coaches, 2 mixed teams. The day arrived, and out the blue the coaches were informed that the ex players had decided they didn’t want mixed teams and so were going to be all play against the coaches. All of the coaches, apart from me at 18, were my dads age or older, so already a unbalanced situation. During the match, said current international (who I won’t name) broke through, I chased him down as last man, dived at the last moment and touched him with both hands followed by flying off the pitch at full pelt. I called the touch, only for the ref who was by now some distance behind the play, to ask the international if he’s been touched. No sir said the bold international. I remember at the time arguing that he’d not only been touched but touched hard enough that he’d wobbled and almost lost balance, but he denied and the ref gave the try. It shattered my belief in that level of player being something that was always worth looking up to, and my dad gently saying afterwards that sadly being a top athlete doesn’t automatically mean you’re not a cheat.

Doddie was a childhood hero of mine (well, didn’t stop at childhood), one of the first international rugby players who became imprinted on my mind for their character and style of play, and I’m so glad that in all the years since, I’ve never once heard a bad word about the man

[cabbageandribs1875]

UK Health Secretary releases £50m motor neurone disease money after delay criticism in wake of Doddie Weir death | The Scotsman (https://www.scotsman.com/health/uk-health-secretary-releases-ps50m-motor-neurone-disease-money-after-delay-criticism-in-wake-of-doddie-weir-death-3949808?fbclid=IwAR0MuS-wQSApxqbN6jzjwzngEsJQeQ1UcD6yAhB8J91u8Krqe44rXkHZ-AE)

at last

More than a year ago the Government (https://www.scotsman.com/topic/government) committed at least £50 million to help find new therapies, and eventually a cure, for MND (https://www.scotsman.com/topic/mnd), a condition in which the brain and nerves progressively degenerate.

But the Department of Health and Social Care was accused of withholding the research funding following the death of former Scotland rugby international Doddie Weir in November.
The Motor Neurone Disease Association said none of the money has been released to researchers.

Rugby star Kevin Sinfield (https://www.scotsman.com/topic/kevin-sinfield) questioned why scientists cannot access the funding, while his former Leeds Rhinos team-mate Rob Burrow (https://www.scotsman.com/topic/rob-burrow) – who also has MND – also accused ministers of holding back the cash.
“How many more warriors die before this stupid Government give the £50 million they said they would give?” Burrow asked on Twitter.

Health Secretary (https://www.scotsman.com/topic/health-secretary) Steve Barclay has now said he will “slash red tape” to provide the funding to biomedical research centres.


can't beat a good shaming to get that red tape slashed

[greenlex]

UK Health Secretary releases £50m motor neurone disease money after delay criticism in wake of Doddie Weir death | The Scotsman (https://www.scotsman.com/health/uk-health-secretary-releases-ps50m-motor-neurone-disease-money-after-delay-criticism-in-wake-of-doddie-weir-death-3949808?fbclid=IwAR0MuS-wQSApxqbN6jzjwzngEsJQeQ1UcD6yAhB8J91u8Krqe44rXkHZ-AE)

at last

More than a year ago the Government (https://www.scotsman.com/topic/government) committed at least £50 million to help find new therapies, and eventually a cure, for MND (https://www.scotsman.com/topic/mnd), a condition in which the brain and nerves progressively degenerate.

But the Department of Health and Social Care was accused of withholding the research funding following the death of former Scotland rugby international Doddie Weir in November.
The Motor Neurone Disease Association said none of the money has been released to researchers.

Rugby star Kevin Sinfield (https://www.scotsman.com/topic/kevin-sinfield) questioned why scientists cannot access the funding, while his former Leeds Rhinos team-mate Rob Burrow (https://www.scotsman.com/topic/rob-burrow) – who also has MND – also accused ministers of holding back the cash.
“How many more warriors die before this stupid Government give the £50 million they said they would give?” Burrow asked on Twitter.

Health Secretary (https://www.scotsman.com/topic/health-secretary) Steve Barclay has now said he will “slash red tape” to provide the funding to biomedical research centres.


can't beat a good shaming to get that red tape slashed


I’ll believe the slashing when I see it. Words are cheap.