MND has no compassion, say rugby player's family

Scott Morris passed away 18 months after he was diagnosed with motor neurone disease

The family of a rugby player who died 18 months after he was diagnosed with motor neurone disease (MND) have said the condition "has no compassion".

Scott Morris, from Bromsgrove, Worcestershire, was 43 when he was diagnosed and his rapid deterioration left wife Natalie and their seven-year-old daughter "very little time to process" what was happening.

Ms Morris said at first they suspected her husband's symptoms were simply fatigue or a result of his rugby injuries, but as testing went on MND became more likely.

"Each time we went to the consultants they ruled things out which was good in a way but we knew it was narrowing down the field and it was taking us down the neurological route," she said.

It took from December 2022 until June 2023 for the Bromsgrove Rugby Football Club player to get his MND diagnosis.

Mrs Morris said: "In March 2023 we had our first appointment with the neurologist where they mentioned it could be MND, the formal diagnosis didn't come until 14 June.

"The consultant even said he had changed quite significantly within those three months. For some people it does progress very fast, it has no compassion."

Mrs Morris said her husband's deterioration left her "very little time to process" what was happening

After his diagnosis, Mr Morris threw himself into fundraising, with the goal of paying for any equipment related to his condition, providing financial security for his family and helping the MND Association.

"After his diagnosis something kicked in with him and he said 'right I want to do something,'" said Ms Morris.

"There were loads of people that supported us, and supported Scott with the fundraising."

Mr Morris raised more than £130,000 after he received his diagnosis

In December, he took part in ex-rugby league legend and England coach Kevin Sinfield's running home for Christmas challenge.

It saw Mr Morris complete a mile of the 230-mile (370km) challenge, only for excitement to soon turn to grief when he passed away a few weeks later.

In total, he raised more than £130,000, and Ms Morris said she now planned to close his fundraising page.

She said: "The reason they wanted to fundraise was so Scott could have what he needed when he needed it, and so with him not being here anymore it felt right that it came to an end."