ED SLATER is tackling another challenge along with the everyday ones he faces as he lives with ‘evil’ and ‘cruel’ motor neurone disease.
Getting the MND community the funding for research and treatment it craves.
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Today sees the next step in the effort to raise funds and awareness of the condition with the 745 Game, named after him and the late, great Rob Burrow and Doddie Weir.
Danny Cipriani, who has flown from Los Angeles to support his friend and former team-mate, will be joined by a host of rugby union and league legends in the hybrid event.
Headingley, which Burrow graced, will once again be the centre of the push to keep MND at the forefront of people’s minds.
But despite that and Kevin Sinfield’s efforts – his fifth physical challenge after millions of pounds were raised takes place next month – money is still lacking in the quest for a cure.
And former Leicester and Gloucester ace Slater – diagnosed in 2022 – is ready to lead the fight as he said: “I’m not here to say our cause is the most important but you have to go all guns blazing to get the message out there.
“Look at the reality of what MND does to you, you can understand how evil and cruel it is.
“Even now, there are horror stories about how people are diagnosed, the information they receive, the help they get.
“There are issues around even healthcare and how you live out your final days. That’s before we talk about finding a treatment for ND.
“A lot of work needs to be done for people being diagnosed every day.
“My focus is MND and making sure we’re keeping that message out there. I want this to be as successful as it can be for the MND community.”
The 745 Game – named after the numbers Burrow, Slater and Weir graced – has been spawned from an idea Ed and Rob were working on until the latter’s death in June.
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But the reaction of the likes of Adrian Morley and Gareth Ellis, who will line up for the league side, thrilled the 34-year-old, who marvelled at them when they were in the NRL and he played in Australia.
Slater added: “While in Oz, I found a new abbreviation for rugby league – NRL.
“Out there was Adrian, Gareth and Sam Burgess, who were leading the charge, and I’m sport obsessed. That era of player was incredible.
“It’s amazing. I’ll be honest, it’s the one area I was nervous about. A lot of people have gone completely away from the game.
“But I’m so grateful the guys immediately jumped on board. Without them, it’s just an idea.”
