Hi, I’m Alastair, although most people know me as Ali.

I’ve always looked after myself and never really imagined that one day I’d be facing something like this. But after noticing a few things that just didn’t feel “normal”, I went to the doctors.

What followed were months of tests, appointments, waiting and, understandably, a lot of anxiety.

Then, on Thursday 17th September 2026, everything changed.

I was told that I have Motor Neurone Disease (MND).

For a few minutes, I just listened. I tried to take in as much as I could, but there really is no way to prepare yourself for those words.

MND isn’t anyone’s fault. It isn’t something I caught from someone else. It’s simply incredibly cruel bad luck.

The hardest thing to accept is that there is currently no cure. I won’t get better, and at some point this illness will take away the things I currently take for granted — my independence, my ability to work, and eventually my ability to do many of the things I love.

Nobody can tell me exactly how much time I have. MND affects everyone differently. All I know is that I want to make the most of whatever time I do have.

I’m a husband and a dad to two amazing boys, aged 6 and 9. We are a family of four, and this diagnosis affects every single one of us.

At some point, I’ll have to give up work, meaning our family will go from two incomes to one. On top of that, there are the additional costs that come with this disease — adapting our home, equipment, travel, care and all the other expenses that seem to keep growing.

But amongst all of the uncertainty, there is one thing I’m determined to do.

I want to make memories.

I want to spend as much time as I can with my wife and my boys. I want to enjoy holidays, days out, meals, laughs, adventures and all the ordinary moments that suddenly feel so much more important.

I want to make sure that, whatever happens, we have as many incredible memories together as possible.

That’s why I’m asking for your help.

Any donation, no matter how big or small, will make a difference. It will help us deal with the financial impact of MND and, most importantly, give me and my family the opportunity to focus on living, making memories and enjoying the time we have together.

To all the incredible people I’ve met throughout my life — through school, rugby, work, travel and those random moments of good fortune that bring people into your life — thank you.

Thank you for being part of my journey.

And to my family and closest friends, I have so much more I want to say. For now, all I can promise is that I’ll keep battling right to the end.

Thank you for reading.

And thank you, from the bottom of my heart, for your support.

Ali