South Scotland MSP Brian Whittle has given his support to the My Name’5 Doddie Foundation’s efforts to raise much-needed funds for research into potential treatments for motor neuron disease by signing up to take part in the Doddie Aid 2025 fundraising campaign.
My Name’5 Doddie Foundation was set up by former Scotland rugby player Doddie Weir in 2017 to raise funds for research into motor neuron disease. Since that time, the Foundation has committed over £18 million in research into effective treatments and a cure for MND, but this remains a challenging disease with few treatments and no cure.
The Foundation’s single largest annual fundraising campaign is Doddie Aid, which runs from 1 January for five weeks. The campaign sees participants signing up with a £20 one-off donation for their own personal exercise challenge, whether it be running, cycling, swimming, dancing or walking, over the five weeks of the campaign.
Brian joined Dougie Vipond and other supporters of the My Name’5 Doddie Foundation at the Scottish Parliament to learn about the research landscape for motor neuron disease and to sign up to take part in the campaign, which this year has the theme “Weir in this together”. For the first time, Doddie Aid participants will be split into the four nations of Scotland, England, Ireland and Wales and will compete to see which nation can log the greatest number of miles over the five weeks of the campaign.
Speaking after signing up to take part in Doddie Aid 2025, Brian Whittle MSP said:
“I’m delighted to play my part in raising much needed funds for the My Name’5 Doddie Foundation by signing up to take part in Doddie Aid 2025 and promoting the campaign to others.
“In the 7 years since the Foundation was launched by my friend Doddie Weir, it has committed £18 million to support vital MND research into effective treatments and one day a cure for this terrible disease.
“However, there remains a long road to travel. MND is a complex condition with a number of risk factors and people who are diagnosed with it currently have very few treatment options. It is vital that the research continues, and this can only happen through fundraising efforts such as the Doddie Aid campaign.
“I am looking forward to getting active and logging my exercise miles from 1 January when the campaign starts, and I hope that many more people across Scotland will join me. After all, Weir in this Together.”
People can sign up to take part in Doddie Aid 2025 via the My Name’5 Doddie Foundation website at https://app.doddieaid.com/onboarding/.
