The Broad Family
The Broad Appeal is run by Chris, Stuart & Gemma Broad & is aiming to help raise money and awareness for Motor Neurone Disease.
Stuart Broad
Stuart is a former Nottinghamshire cricketer who played Test, One Day and Twenty20 International cricket for England, captaining the side in the latter two formats. Broad was a member of the England team that won the 2010 ICC World Twenty20.
In the home Ashes series of 2023, Stuart took his six-hundredth Test wicket during the fourth Test at Old Trafford. In the final Test at the Oval, he took his one-hundred and fiftieth wicket against Australia. On the third day of the same Test, Stuart announced his retirement from professional cricket. He signed off in the best possible fashion by scoring a six off the last ball her faced and then taking the final two Australian wickets to ensure a 2-2 series draw.
He published his autobiography ‘Broadly Speaking’ in November 2023.
Chris Broad: Patron
Former England opening batsman, Chris, began his international career in 1984 for the second test match against the West Indies at Lords. Shortly after, in 1986, he made his One Day International debut against Australia in Perth. In the 1986-87 Ashes series, Chris became the third Englishman to score centuries in three consecutive matches. His career spanned 25 test matches, with 6 centuries, all away from home, including a high score of 162.
Chris also played at home for Gloucestershire, Nottinghamshire and Orange Free State. In 2003 Chris became an ICC Test Official, refereeing for both Test matches and One Day Internationals.
Gemma Broad: Ambassador
Having graduated with a BSc degree in Exercise and Sport Sciences in 2005, Gemma embarked on a Master's degree in Performance Analysis in 2006 after which she began her career as a Performance Analyst for the England and Wales Cricket Board.
While working for the ECB, she was instrumental to the team and its success. From 2007-09 Gemma was the Team Analyst for the England Women’s team and was part of both ODI and T20 World Cup winning Campaigns.
Gemma now has her own sustainable bespoke upholstery company after training in interior design and upholstery.
Our Inspiration
The undeniably hard working and gregarious Miche Broad has had a successful career organising golf tournaments all over the world. When she went to Australia in February 2009 for the Johnnie Walker Classic tournament, and as her husband for eight years, Chris, was away refereeing cricket matches in Pakistan, she took a few extra weeks to ‘whizz round the country seeing friends’. Little did Miche imagine that when she landed in Adelaide, her life would change irrevocably.
I was having a glass of wine with a friend and suddenly began talking as if I had drunk at least ten, a confusing experience to have.
It was very odd. Then, when I went on to Perth for the golf tournament, I started getting painful cramps in my hands and arms and a strange tingling in my fingers. A girlfriend insisted I consult the tournament doctor and he sent me straight to a local neurologist. He recommended that when I returned home I saw Professor Pamela Shaw. I didn’t know at the time that she was an expert on motor neurone disease.
Miche saw Professor Shaw, director of the Sheffield Care and Research Centre for Motor Neurone Disorders, in the May following her trip. She put Miche through two days of painful but necessary diagnostic tests. Miche was to return for her results ten days later.
When, just before my appointment, she asked for Chris to come with me, I suddenly became very nervous… the diagnosis was MND
Professor Shaw was straight forward, calm and kind as she told us the truth but said we shouldn’t look it up on the internet as it gave such a distorted view. I immediately did look it up. It was a terrible shock and I thought, ‘Oh no. I am not going to get better.'
Miche had the bulbar palsy variation of the disease, where the muscles used for talking, chewing and swallowing are affected first.
Her increased slurring of words can be exceptionally frustrating; as the disease does not affect the brain Miche was intensely aware of the effects on her body.
I know my life has been curtailed, but I am a very positive person and my attitude is that as there is nothing I can do about it, I am going to try to live each day as it comes.
Chris cut back on his working schedule to care for Miche, and took over the cooking at mealtimes. Everything had to be liquidised so that she could swallow it.
Despite her change in circumstances and lifestyle Miche remained her outgoing self. She still took their border collie out for walks “she is a very intelligent dog and has become much more affectionate over the past six months. We suspect she realises things aren’t 100 per cent.”
So far my legs are pretty good. My left arm is the weaker of the two and I can’t lift anything heavy with either hand. When it’s cold, both hands become affected and I can’t even do my trousers up. Chris helps and will even put my earrings in.
Miche and Chris travelled to Alaska for a whale watching trip in June that year.
I am not going to sit in a corner and think, my life has been severely curtailed I have got things to do and places to go.
This was typical of her immensely positive attitude.
Sadly Miche’s personal battle with motor neurone disease came to an end on Wednesday 7 July 2010.
Supporting The Broad Appeal
Shop
If you would like to purchase The Broad Appeal branded merchandise, you can do so through the MND Association's online shop.
Contact The Broad Appeal
Chris Broad, Director [email protected]
Or contact: MND Association, [email protected], 016046 11760, The Broad Appeal c/o MND Association, Francis Crick House, 6 Summerhouse Road, Moulton Park, Northampton, NN3 6BJ.