The Motor Neurone Disease Association (MND Association) is a British charity, operating in England, Wales and Northern Ireland, established in 1979 by a group of volunteers to coordinate care, support, and research for people affected by motor neurone disease

Motor neurone disease

The motor neurone diseases are a group of neurological disorders that selectively affect motor neurones, the cells that control voluntary muscle activity including speaking, walking, breathing, swallowing and general movement of the body. They are generally progressive in nature, and can cause...

 (also known as amyotrophic lateral sclerosis

Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis

Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis , also referred to as Lou Gehrig's disease, is a form of motor neuron disease caused by the degeneration of upper and lower neurons, located in the ventral horn of the spinal cord and the cortical neurons that provide their efferent input...

 or Lou Gehrig's disease).

The aim of the MND Association is a world free of MND.

The Association's key activities include:

• Raising awareness of the condition
• Funding research
• Providing information to patients and carers
• Coordinating research through conferences and symposia
• Providing local care through a network of branches and regional care advisers
• Lobbying government

The MND Association organises the International Symposium on ALS/MND, a unique annual event which brings together leading international researchers and health and social care

Health and Social Care

In the UK, Health and Social Care is a broad term that relates to integrated services that are available from health and social care providers...

 professionals to present and debate key innovations in their respective fields.

The Association's Chief Executive is Dr. Kirstine Knox. Its President is neuroscientist Colin Blakemore

Colin Blakemore

Professor Colin Blakemore, Ph.D., FRS, FMedSci, HonFSB, HonFRCP, is a British neurobiologist who is Professor of Neuroscience at the University of Oxford and University of Warwick specialising in vision and the development of the brain. He was formerly Chief Executive of the British Medical...

. The Patrons of the Association are HRH The Princess Royal

Anne, Princess Royal

Princess Anne, Princess Royal , is the only daughter of Elizabeth II and Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh...

, neurologist and four minute mile record breaker Roger Bannister

Roger Bannister

Sir Roger Gilbert Bannister, CBE is an English former athlete best known for running the first recorded mile in less than 4 minutes...

, entrepreneur and philanthropist Joel Cadbury

Joel Cadbury

Joel Cadbury is an English Entrepreneur & Philanthropist, the son of Peter Cadbury and Jennifer d'Abo , and heir to the Cadbury chocolate dynasty.Joel Cadbury is best known as Founder & Chief Executive of Longshot Limited and alongside his partner,...

, palliative medicine consultant Baroness Finlay

Ilora Finlay, Baroness Finlay of Llandaff

Ilora Gillian Finlay, Baroness Finlay of Llandaff, is a Welsh doctor, professor of palliative medicine, and an Independent Crossbench member of the House of Lords.She is a past president of the Royal Society of Medicine. She is a...

, neuroscientist, broadcaster and author Baroness Greenfield, TV personality Sir David Frost

David Frost (broadcaster)

Sir David Paradine Frost, OBE is a British journalist, comedian, writer, media personality and daytime TV game show host best known for his two decades as host of Through the Keyhole and serious interviews with various political figures, the most notable being Richard Nixon...

, world-renowned cosmologist Stephen Hawking

Stephen Hawking

Stephen William Hawking, CH, CBE, FRS, FRSA is an English theoretical physicist and cosmologist, whose scientific books and public appearances have made him an academic celebrity...

 (who is living with MND), Jamie Niven (Senior Vice President at Sotheby’s art dealers in New York and younger son of cinema legend David Niven

David Niven

James David Graham Niven , known as David Niven, was a British actor and novelist, best known for his roles as Phileas Fogg in Around the World in 80 Days and Sir Charles Lytton, a.k.a. "the Phantom", in The Pink Panther...

 who died from MND), politician Lembit Öpik

Lembit Öpik

Lembit Öpik is a British Liberal Democrat politician. He was the Member of Parliament for the constituency of Montgomeryshire in Wales from 1997 until he lost his seat in the 2010 General Election...

 MP (who lost his father to MND in 2005 and who is Chair of Patrons), and American businessman James Sherwood

James Sherwood

James B. Sherwood is an American-born, British-based businessman.-Early life:Sherwood grew up in Lexington, Kentucky and earned a degree in economics from Yale University. Sherwood learned about shipping first in the U.S. Navy, spending three years as a cargo officer, and then working for U.S...

.

External links

• Homepage for the Motor Neurone Disease Association
• Information on the International Symposium on ALS/MND
• International Alliance of ALS/MND Associations
• MND Scotland, an independent charity registered in Scotland, and the only non-research charity working in Scotland for those with MND
• The Euan MacDonald Centre at the University of Edinburgh is committed to defeating Motor Neurone Disease through innovative fundamental research