Stewart hopeful for MND cure despite losing arm use
BBCFormer Premier League striker Marcus Stewart, who was diagnosed with motor neurone disease (MND), has revealed he has now lost the use of his arms, but remains hopeful of finding a cure.
Stewart, who played for clubs such as Ipswich Town, Sunderland and Bristol Rovers during his career, was diagnosed in September 2022.
The 53-year-old has been raising awareness and campaigning to help find a cure ever since and will be at the start of a third annual march starting in Liverpool at 09:00 BST.
Stewart said he was finding "ways around" not being able to use his arms.
"I can't drive anymore, can't shower myself, can't put clothes on, can't take them off," he explained.
"I can't do anything that you would do with your arms, really, but I find solutions and find ways around it, and if I can't do that, then my wife's here to help me."
He said he could still "just about" use his right hand and said he "very rarely" got frustrated about the situation.
"I probably get frustrated with myself because I can't do certain things, but some things I'm out of control of... but I've always been a positive person," he added.
Stewart's wife, Louise, said: "I think he just sees life in a different perspective.
"So things he might have been annoyed about before, what's the point of getting annoyed at them?
"He's more patient and definitely more positive."
Darby Rimmer Redwood EventsStewart and former Liverpool and Bradford City player Stephen Darby, who also has MND, are behind the March of the Day walk.
Now in its third year, a group of walkers will cover 350 miles (563.27km) over the next six days, starting in Liverpool and ending at the Rob Burrow Centre for MND in Leeds.
Stewart said the centre was a "brilliant" location to end the walk, named after the former rugby player Rob Burrow, who died from the disease in 2024.
Among guest walkers this year are footballers Jill Scott, Emile Heskey, and Paul Scholes, as well as rugby players Johnny Lawless, Leon Pryce and Faye Gaskin.
Stewart stressed that the walk was an important way for those with MND to be seen and for them to see the support out there.
Stewart was still hopeful that a cure for the disease would be found soon.
"Lewis Moody's been diagnosed recently, in terms of sports people that we know," he said.
"So who knows? Who knows what's going to happen in the next year? Something might come out soon.
"We don't know, but I'm always hopeful. I believe I've got time on my side, and I believe there will be a treatment or a cure soon.
"If I didn't believe that, then there's no point in carrying on."
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