40 Challenges to Mark the 40th Year of MND Scotland

April 20, 2022

Etape Loch Ness kicks off £40,000 fundraising goal for MND Scotland trustee

Adrian Murphy is taking on a monster 40 challenges to raise funds for MND Scotland as part of its 40th anniversary, with the aim of raising £40,000.

40 years ago, there was no care, support or treatment for people diagnosed with motor neurone disease (MND). Today, MND Scotland provides life-changing support to hundreds of people living with MND. The charity now invests millions of pounds in cutting-edge MND research and 40 years of progress has meant that almost everyone living with MND in Scotland can now take part in pioneering clinical trials to find new medical treatments.

Adrian Murphy became involved in the charity following his brother Brian’s diagnosis in February 2019 at age 49. When diagnosed, father-of-two Brian was a consultant cardiologist at Queen Elizabeth University Hospital in Glasgow and was a keen footballer. With his business background, Adrian knew he could make a difference for the charity and for people dealing with MND, like his brother.

Since becoming Chair of the Board of Trustees at MND Scotland, Adrian and the team have brought in a new CEO and developed an ambitious growth plan for the charity.

MND Scotland’s 40th anniversary presents a big opportunity to raise awareness and crucial funds. With that in mind, Adrian, who is also celebrating his 40th birthday this year, is taking on 40 challenges, kicking off with the Etape Loch Ness on 24th April 2022.

Adrian will also undertake the Etape Caledonia in May and Ironman Ireland Cork in August, however his biggest challenge will be the Monster Triathlon in June.

“The Etape Loch Ness looks like such a fantastic event, and it is the perfect training for the Monster Triathlon later in the year. The Monster Triathlon takes place over seven days and covers more than 1,000km from Loch Ness to London, starting with a 5km swim in Loch Ness itself!

“I’m currently training seven days a week to prepare for the challenges and whenever I start to struggle, I remember the reasons I am doing this and think about what my brother would give to be able to do it with me.”

Motor neurone disease is a progressive, incurable illness. In a healthy person, the motor neurones carry signals from the brain directly to the muscles. However, MND stops signals from the brain reaching the muscles. Therefore, over time muscles weaken and eventually stop working.

Not everyone is affected by MND in the same way. Every case is different, but the disease may cause some people to lose the ability to walk, talk, eat, drink or breathe unaided. Some people can also experience changes in their behaviour, personality and the way they think.

Adrian continues: “My hope is to make a real difference to people living with MND, both today and for those diagnosed in the future. Brian is ‘lucky’ to have a great support system around him with friends and family helping out, however not everyone has this.

“We need to make sure no one goes through this devastating disease alone. Whether that’s supporting people financially through our grants programme, giving them some time away from their daily routine, or support to cope with a diagnosis through counselling and support groups. It could be supplying equipment to help people live their life more independently for longer or tackling issues they might be having with local authorities or care providers.

“MND Scotland is there every step of the way, and this would not be possible without the incredible generosity of our fundraisers and donors. So, until we can beat MND, I hope my efforts will help improve the ways we can support people like Brian and make life that bit easier for them.”