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Ex-footballers Stephen Darby and Marcus Stewart open up on their battle with MND

Ex-footballers Stephen Darby and Marcus Stewart have decided to open up to BBC Breakfast on their battle MND (motor neurone disease).

They both met up at Anfield and shared their experience of how MND has affected them and their families, with Darby, 35, being diagnosed with it age 29 while Stewart, 51, received his diagnosis in September 2022.

The duo have a little tour about, as seen in the video below, with Stewart pushing Darby around in a wheelchair, and then head to Liverpool’s changing room, before heading down the tunnel towards the pitch.

Marcus Stewart can be heard saying in the first clip uploaded by BBC Breakfast: “Do you think that comes from your football background, that mental determination?”

Stephen Darby: “Yeah, definitely. Do you feel the same way?”

Marcus Stewart: “Yeah, I do. I think that football background, that being an elite sport, I think, although you don’t know at the time, it kind of prepares you for what’s happening now a little bit psychologically, I think we’re used to living in the moment as a player, day by day, week by week…”

Stephen Darby: “Yeah, game by game.”

Marcus Stewart: “You can’t look four months ahead. You can’t look a year ahead, because you know what’s going to go on. So I think for me, I can relate to it, because that’s how it is now. I live in the moment, and I live week to week. And don’t look about next year, don’t look about next month. Just every day.”

In the second clip, Darby said: “MND brings all types of people together, but what’s special is we’re all fighting for the same thing and that’s to find a treatment and a cure.”

In the third clip, Darby says: “It’s hard emotionally for them to see them fall, not nice.”

Marcus Stewart: “See for me, what you just said, I want them to be able to speak about that. I don’t want to. So you’re braver than I am, so I can’t speak about that. I think that, but I don’t speak about it because I wouldn’t have been as brave as you just were.”

JUSTGIVING PAGE:

On Friday 22nd March 2024, a team of walkers will embark on an arduous trek from the University of Bradford Stadium to Anfield, stopping by 17 other football stadia on the way, to raise vital funds for the Darby Rimmer MND Foundation, dedicated to City legend Stephen Darby and former Huddersfield Town forward Marcus Stewart, both of whom suffer from motor neurone disease.

Sponsored by the PFA and organised by Redwood Events, the trek will begin on the Friday, the day before the Bantams travel to Harrogate Town in League Two, and is set to end on Sunday March 24. Off-field City staff will take part, having taken on the Claret and Amber Ramble in April 2023, along with a number of Darby and Stewart’s former teammates from City and Bolton Wanderers, as organised by Filipe Morais.

And, with a number of high-profile former professionals already signed up to take part – including Jill Scott, Paul Scholes, Chris Kirkland, Nicky Butt, Mick McCarthy, Dominic Matteo, David May, John McGinlay, Martin Kelly and Neil Mellor – please help us as we come together to #AttackMND, and raise as much money as we can for the Darby Rimmer MND Foundation.

For full details on the event, please visit https://www.redwoodevents.co.uk/march-of-the-day/.

Last month (December), Stephen Darby revealed pictures of three head injuries he suffered after some falls he had due to the disease which he would now become more prone to, having had two trips to A&E in 2023.

A post read: “A reality of MND.

“As your body, arms and legs become weaker you are more susceptible to trips and falls. When you fall or trip you can’t use your arms to break your fall.

“2 falls this year resulted in two trips to A&E. The falls aren’t nice and they also affect the family physically and emotionally who are left to pick you up and look after you.

“Together you adapt and overcome these obstacles. You pick yourselves’ up and go again 💪🏼❤️”

 
 
 
 
 
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A post shared by Darby Rimmer MND Foundation (@darbyrimmermnd)

ABOUT MND (as per the NHS website):

Motor neurone disease is a rare condition affecting the brain and nerves. It eventually leads to death, but some people live with it for many years.

Symptoms of motor neurone disease include muscle weakness, twitches, slurred speech and difficulty swallowing. The symptoms get worse over time.

Treatment for motor neurone disease aims to ease the symptoms as much as possible. Treatments include physiotherapy, speech therapy and medicines.

Motor neurone disease happens when cells in the brain and nerves, called motor neurones, gradually stop working. It’s not known why this happens.

Twitter users gave a heartfelt reaction as Ex-footballers Stephen Darby and Marcus Stewart open up on their battle with MND…

@LizBeighton: Walking along, singing a song, walking in a Stewart wonderland. Ipswich legend through and through

@Addybak: We had some good battles against Town with Marcus Stewart… and of course Darbs ❤💛. Truly inspirational.

@wilsation_al: So sad to see Darbs like this. It’s a very cruel world. And Marcus Stewart, sure he always used to score against us. #StevenDarbyBaby 🧡❤️🧡❤️

@CraigAndrew3: Love Darbs so much. ❤️❤️

@vale49ers: Marcus Stewart Legend 💙

@creednotts: Marcus Stewart what a legend. I remember him scoring goals for fun in the premier league in a struggling team

@topfotogmw: Lost my body to an incurable and degenerative disease in 2017, luckily though, it’s treatable and I have had a measure of recovery, though left disabled. I’ve been down the same road as these guys, I just pray a cure or treatment is found in time.

@AllDaleArentWe: What a trooper you are Darbs keep up the fight 👏💙

@BantamPete: Darbs #bcafc legend Heartbreaking 😢💔

@markyatesbwfc: Absolutely heartbreaking seeing Stephen that way

@EdmundBaker2: Heroes the both of them 💙

@whereskay: Love you Darbs!!! Keep up the fight #bcafc

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