Previous England leader Lewis Moody has revealed he has been found to have motor neurone disease and stated he cannot yet confront the full implications of the muscle-wasting condition that ended the lives of other rugby players Doddie Weir and Rob Burrow.
The middle-aged sportsman, who was part of the 2003 championship side and lifted several English and European titles with Leicester, spoke to BBC Breakfast two weeks after discovering he has the disease.
"There's a certain facing the future and not wanting to really process that at the minute," he stated.
"It's not that I am unaware of where it's progressing. We understand that. But there is absolutely a reluctance to look the future in the face for now."
Moody, conversing together with his wife Annie, states instead he feels "calm" as he concentrates on his present welfare, his family and planning ahead for when the disease worsens.
"Perhaps that's surprise or perhaps I process things in another way, and after I have the facts, it's more manageable," he stated further.
Early Signs
Moody discovered he had MND after observing some reduced power in his upper arm while training in the gym.
After rehabilitation failed to improve the condition, a set of scans revealed neural pathways in his central nervous system had been damaged by MND.
"You're given this diagnosis of MND and we're rightly very emotional about it, but it's rather peculiar because I think everything is fine," he remarked.
"I don't sense unwell. I don't experience sick
"My symptoms are rather minimal. I have some muscle loss in the fingers and the shoulder.
"I continue to be able to accomplishing all activities. And optimistically that will carry on for as long as is possible."
Illness Advancement
MND can advance rapidly.
As per the non-profit MND Association, the illness takes the lives of a one-third of people within a 365 days and over half within 24 months of identification, as ingestion and inhalation become increasingly challenging.
Treatment can only delay deterioration.
"It isn't ever me that I feel sad for," stated an moved Moody.
"There's sorrow around having to inform my mum - as an single child - and the consequences that has for her."
Personal Consequences
Conversing from the household with his wife and their pet dog by his side, Moody was overcome with sentiment when he spoke about telling his sons - teenage Dylan and 15-year-old Ethan - the devastating news, commenting: "That represented the hardest thing I've ever had to do."
"They're two excellent boys and that was pretty heartbreaking," Moody stated.
"We positioned ourselves on the sofa in crying, Ethan and Dylan both hugging in each other, then the dog bounded over and started removing the tears off our faces, which was quite amusing."
Moody explained the focus was remaining in the present.
"There is no treatment and that is why you have to be very intensely directed on just accepting and savoring everything now," he commented.
"As Annie said, we've been really blessed that the sole decision I made when I concluded playing was to devote as much duration with the kids as attainable. We can't reclaim those years back."
Athlete Link
Elite sportspeople are excessively influenced by MND, with studies proposing the rate of the disease is up to 600% elevated than in the general population.
It is believed that by restricting the O2 available and causing injury to motor neurone cells, frequent, intense exercise can initiate the disease in those inherently vulnerable.
Rugby Playing Days
Moody, who won 71 England caps and competed with the British and Irish Lions in New Zealand in 2005, was called 'Mad Dog' during his professional days, in acknowledgment of his brave, relentless approach to the game.
He participated through a stress fracture of his leg for a period with Leicester and once initiated a training-ground altercation with team-mate and friend Martin Johnson when, irritated, he left a training equipment and commenced participating in collisions.
After entering as a substitute in the Rugby World Cup final win over Australia in 2003, he won a ball at the end of the line-out in the critical passage of play, setting a platform for playmaker Matt Dawson to snipe and Jonny Wilkinson to execute the game-deciding drop kick.
Assistance System
Moody has already told Johnson, who skippered England to that victory, and a handful of other ex- team-mates about his diagnosis, but the rest will be finding out his news with the remainder of public.
"There will be a period when we'll need to lean on their assistance but, at the minute, just having that kind of affection and recognition that people are available is the crucial thing," he stated.
"The sport is such a great family.
"I said to the kids the other day, I've had an amazing life.
"Even if it finished now, I've appreciated all of it and embraced all of it and got to do it with unbelievable people.
"When you get to call your enthusiasm your profession, it's one of the most significant privileges.
"To have done it for so long a time with the groups that I did it with was a joy. And I am aware they will wish to assist in any way they can and I look forward to having those conversations."
