Notable People With Motor Neurone Disease

Stephen Hawking is by far the most famous person to have lived with motor neurone disease, and his visibility did a great deal to raise awareness of it. But others, in sport, film and public life, have also faced the disease, and several used their profile to drive awareness and funding. Their stories are a reminder of how widely MND reaches, and of the value of the research it has inspired.

In sport

The American baseball legend Lou Gehrig is so closely associated with the disease that in the United States it is commonly called "Lou Gehrig's disease"; his emotional 1939 farewell speech remains famous. In British football, the celebrated manager Don Revie was diagnosed with MND in the 1980s. Scottish rugby international Doddie Weir became a tireless campaigner after his diagnosis, founding a charity to fund research before his death in 2022. The rugby league player Rob Burrow, with the support of his friend and former teammate Kevin Sinfield, raised extraordinary sums and public awareness in the years before his death in 2024, helping to fund a dedicated MND care centre.

In film and public life

The actor David Niven, one of the great stars of his era, died of motor neurone disease in 1983. Hawking himself, of course, belongs at the head of any such list, not as a victim of the disease but as someone who lived and worked with it for an extraordinary fifty-five years while becoming the most famous scientist in the world.

Why their stories matter

These individuals did more than endure a cruel illness. By speaking openly, several transformed public understanding and raised funds that directly support the research and care described elsewhere on this site. Awareness campaigns connected to MND and ALS have funded real scientific progress. It is a fitting echo of Hawking's own role as a patron of the MND Association: turning personal hardship into help for others.

If you or someone close to you is affected by MND, the MND Association offers information and support. You can find ways to help on the support page.