27 May 2020 News
Broadcaster Matthew Bannister has shared his thanks to everyone who donated to the Association’s Radio 4 Appeal taking the total raised to a brilliant £28,317.
Matthew, a regular presenter on the station and former controller of BBC Radio 1, used the Appeal slot in March to talk about his dad, Neville, a keen scientist, who died from MND. He also shared information about MIROCALS, a pioneering clinical trial by Professor Nigel Leigh, funded by the MND Association.
Listeners were asked to help fund Professor Leigh’s work – £75 could pay for half a day of research.
Following the unveiling of the total raised, Matthew said:
“I would like to say a huge ‘thank you’ to everyone who donated to the Motor Neurone Disease Association’s Radio 4 Appeal which was featured on the station in March. The timing was tricky, with the Appeal aired the day before the country went into lockdown. This makes the total raised even more heartening – in the middle of an unprecedented crisis people were touched enough to take the time and effort to donate to the charity. The money will help to fund the continuation of Professor Nigel Leigh’s MIROCALS trial which is looking at whether a cancer drug, Interleukin 2, can be repurposed to slow the progression of MND, which I’ll be following with interest.”