Rochdale MP, Tony Lloyd, has welcomed the announcement of a £50 million investment over five years into targeted motor neurone disease research, in response to MP and charity-backed campaign.

Tony said, “Sadly, I’ve had close friends who were affected by motor neurone disease. Their journey saw their bodies fail, and not long after, death. For some people, the disease leaves them unable to move, talk and eventually breathe. There has been too little investment in neurological conditions like this.

“Over 80% of people with this disease will have communication difficulties, including for some, a complete loss of voice.

“For some years now, alongside charities, organisations and campaigners, I have been demanding targeted investment into this terminal illness.

“It is good that the Government have listened to these calls. This level of investment will make a real difference in the search for effective treatments and a cure.”

After two years of campaigning including handing in letters and petitions to Downing Street, meeting with Ministers, briefings with Government departments and media involvement, the United to End MND coalition has welcomed the Government’s pledge of a £50 million investment into MND research. This is part of a package of £375 million set aside to fund innovative research into neurodegenerative diseases over the next five years.

Sally Light, Chief Executive of the MND Association, added, “This announcement is the game-changing news everyone in the MND community has been hoping – and campaigning – for. This funding will drive MND research forward towards treatments and cure and will give people who have been diagnosed with this devastating terminal illness hope.

“So many dedicated people have campaigned tirelessly with us on this issue, and we are very grateful to every single one of them. It is no exaggeration to say these funds will change lives – and ultimately save lives.

For more information about the campaign visit http://www.mndassociation.org/unitedtoendMND

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Notes to Editors:-

• United to End MND coalition is made up of the MND Association, MND Scotland and My Name’5 Doddie Foundation – people with MND and neurologists.

• About motor neurone disease (MND):
– MND is a fatal, rapidly progressing disease that affects the brain and spinal cord.
– It attacks the nerves that control movement so muscles no longer work. MND does not usually affect the senses such as sight, sound, feeling etc.
– It can leave people locked in a failing body, unable to move, talk and eventually breathe.
– Over 80% of people with MND will have communication difficulties, including for some, a complete loss of voice.
– It affects people from all communities.
– Around 35% of people with MND experience mild cognitive change, in other words, changes in thinking and behaviour. A further 15% of people show signs of frontotemporal dementia which results in more pronounced behavioural change.
– It kills a third of people within a year and more than half within two years of diagnosis.
– A person’s lifetime risk of developing MND is around 1 in 300.
– Six people per day are diagnosed with MND in the UK.
– It affects up to 5,000 adults in the UK at any one time.
– It kills six people per day in the UK, this is just under 2,200 per year.
– It has no cure.