Blues legend Marcus Stewart has spoken about living with MND two years after his diagnosis and the upcoming March of the Day event aimed at raising awareness and funds for the Darby Rimmer MND Foundation.
Stewart, 51, talked to Life’s a Pitch TV, recalling the highlights of his Town career, playing against Russell Osman in West Country derbies, walking into the wrong Bristol pub, Jay Stansfield, gloves and fridge magnets as well as MND and the event in March.
The striker, who also played for Saturday’s opponents Sunderland as well as both Bristol clubs, Huddersfield, Exeter, Yeovil and Preston, announced his diagnosis in September 2022 but having learned the news earlier that year.
"I haven’t given an update, it’s been two years now since I was diagnosed, January 6th, so we’re just over that time,” he said.
"In terms of progression, not loads really. Six months ago, I had a little tiny use, I would say out of 100 per cent I had probably 30-40 per cent use of my arm and my hand, I was able to grip something.
"Now, I’ve probably got about 10 per cent use of it and it’s starting to creep into my right arm and my right hand. But I have full use of that.
"But, as you can imagine, in cold weather, most people’s hands get cold and it’s hard to use them anyway, but it’s even worse for me.
"That’s it for me. The progression in two years is just creeping into my right hand but I can use it.
"I’m lucky because it’s pretty slow with me, so hopefully in my time there will be a cure and with everyone’s fundraising and everyone raising awareness, we’ve got every chance in the world with the rugby community getting involved and now hopefully getting the football community involved as well because that needs to happen.”
The football community is getting involved via March of the Day with the likes of Paul Scholes, Nicky Butt, former Blues boss Mick McCarthy, Jill Scott, Neil Mellor, David May, John McGinley, Dominic Matteo, Jeff Whitley, Chris Kirkland and Andy Booth are among the former players taking part.
Full details of how to get involved, the route and who is taking part can be found here.
"March of the Day, from 22nd March to 24th, the Friday to the Sunday, taking in 19 football clubs, 175 miles over the weekend,” Stewart explained.
"Some people are going to be two-thirds of that, some might do all of it, but anyone can join in. You can do as little or as much as you want to do.
"There’s a core group doing it with sponsors and stuff like that but each club we’re going to, if you want to just join in you can.
"What I would say as well, if you can’t make it to that event, which starts in Bradford and finishes at Anfield, taking in 19 clubs on the way, if you can’t get to that area of the country, then do it in your own area if you want to, you’re more than welcome to. It would be great to have someone’s support.
"We’ve got an Ipswich fan who is going from Derby to Burton Albion, the Ipswich Town Midlands group, they’re doing it, from the Weighbridge Inn in Burton. Mandy Muir emailed my wife today, they’re getting involved, doing their own little walk, 17 miles, I think it is, because they can’t get up to Bradford, so they’re doing a walk themselves and raising awareness.
"The more people out on the street on that particular weekend would be brilliant because there are going to be a lot of us in the North and North-West doing it, so if other bits of the country can fly the flag and bang the drum, that would be brilliant. Everyone can get involved.
"If you go onto the website, the itinerary will come up, the schedule of what’s going on, what days, what times and you can register on there as well, so get involved.
"Hopefully it’s a big event. At the moment, I think there are more than 60 ex-pros with managers involved and I think that will grow with the marketing that we can do around that between now and March.
"Hopefully, with BBC Breakfast the other day promoting it with me and Stephen [Darby] alongside talking about what’s going on with us, hopefully we can raise more awareness of this event that’s going on.
"I think it would be big, obviously Kev Sinfield and Rob Burrow have done loads between them as a team. If we can get the football community involved like they’ve got the rugby community involved, along with Doddie [Weir] and Ed Slater, then we have a chance of beating this disease, we really do, I really believe that.
"Ten years ago, if you got MND, you might have been in a bit of trouble, but these days I think we’re so close to finding a cure, we just need more investment to help the scientists to get to the details and get to the nooks and crannies of what’s going on with MND.
"If not a cure, some sort of treatment that will extend life by years and not months or days.
"We can only do that now, so hopefully in our time everyone contributes to that and everyone will eventually be part of that cure, whether you’ve raised a pound or £1,000.”
The Team Stewart Just Giving page, with funds going to the Darby Rimmer MND Foundation, can be found here.