Billy Twelvetrees Champions MND Research Ride

The Mattioli Woods Welford Road recently played host to a remarkable event as Billy Twelvetrees alongside former rugby players Jim Hamilton and Fraser Balmain completed the first leg of the “Ride Against Time” from Kingsholm Stadium. The 350-mile cycling challenge isn’t just about raising awareness and funds for MND but also the harrowing disease itself. With former Tigers Harry Ellis and Andy Forsyth cheering them along, the spectacle was one of a kind given that it was all in support of Ed Slater, a fellow former teammate who developed MND. The physical challenges that come along with such a ride is one thing, but it represents the time that needs to be spent on researching MND because as Twelvetrees points out, the quicker the research then the quicker the solving of it. The disease is particularly cruel on the body as it causes the rapid degeneration of the motor neurons.

Last year the route was completed in three days, but this year the team went one step further by completing it in 24 hours—vitally symbolizing the need for not just a quick solution but a quick time for a solution since MND only gives victims 2–5 years of time left to live. Jim Hamilton stressed that almost too living on the back foot since prevention is always better than a cure. This is apparent in one’s life as it can flip your life and does so in such a manner that it is unchangeable. The rugby community similarly echoes the same sentiment as they have seen some of their British Lions, Dottie Weir and Rob Burrow, also diagnosed with the severe neurodegenerative disease.

There is also a significant debate about if rugby as a sport increases one’s chance of obtaining such a disease. While it is difficult to tie down research to prove such a theory due to the lack of data, it certainly brings into question the health procedures that are put in place to ensure the safety of players. The event demonstrates one of the positive anthropological functions of sport and sports figures: the ability to bring awareness to particular health situations. That through such events that the riders hope that lives all over the world can be saved due to the timely and effective research that has gone on.