Press Release

Remember people with MND – message to next Prime Minister

10 May 2007

People with Motor Neurone Disease must not be forgotten in the transition between Prime Ministers, the MND Association warned today.

The charity paid tribute to present incumbent Tony Blair as he announced his intentions to stand down as PM during his speech at the Trimdon Labour Club in his Sedgefield constituency. Mr Blair has personally endorsed the MND Association’s campaign for £15 million to drive forward research to bring about a World free of MND.

Kirstine Knox, Chief Executive of the Association, said: “Mr Blair has expressed a strong personal interest in Motor Neurone Disease through meetings with people with MND and the Association during his tenure as PM.

“By endorsing our campaign to raise £15 million for research funding, Mr Blair has helped us open doors to talks with the Medical Research Council, and contributed to us receiving a private donation pledge of £1 million – the highest single donation the Association has ever received.”

Dr Knox said the Association’s campaign for greater Government funding for MND research would continue, and called on Gordon Brown, as the likeliest candidate to enter Number 10, not to forget people with MND.

She said: “Any leader of this country should be committed to eradicating a disease that the Government’s own figures shows kills four people every day in the UK, and devastates thousands of families.

“As well as this moral obligation, there is also a clear financial argument for funding research into MND, with the public services bill for caring for people with MND running to at least £270 million a year.”