'He is a beacon of hope' - Former Huddersfield Town, Ipswich and Sunderland striker Marcus Stewart who was diagnosed with MND hails Kevin Sinfield's fundraising efforts

The former Huddersfield Town and Sunderland striker was diagnosed with MND in September after 12 months of testing but says his symptoms are slow.

Sinfield, the former Leeds Rhinos captain, is aiming to run around 40 miles for seven successive days and is in the final day of his challenge which is due to end at Old Trafford this afternoon. A remarkable £1.1m has been raised for MND charities with the amount steadily climbing.

Stewart appeared on BBC Breakfast on Saturday morning to discuss Sinfield’s efforts and hailed the ex-Leeds player as a heroic and inspiring figure.

Marcus Stewart was diagnosed with MND earlier this year. (Photo by Pete Norton/Getty Images)

“I am fine, the symptoms are pretty slow. I have a problem with my left hand and my left arm – the grip is gone on my hand and my left arm is full of weight loss," he told BBC Breakfast of his health condition.

"Otherwise I am pretty good, I have a few twitches over my body. I am good, I can walk and talk. I feel pretty lucky if I am honest. My wife is normally in bed next to me checking the total - it is great that it has just reached £1m. The crowds that have been turning up is inspiring.

"Kevin is a beacon of hope. That what he is, to a lot of us. He is doing his best for his mate Rob [Burrow], along with his mates who are running with him.

"It is over £5m now with previous events he has done. The awareness is great - when he does it, he does it big. That can only be the right way forward."

Kevin Sinfield applauds the crowd following the end of day six in the Ultra 7 in 7 Challenge from to York to Bradford. The former Leeds captain is set to complete seven ultra-marathons in as many days in aid of research into Motor Neurone Disease, finishing by running into Old Trafford at half-time of the Rugby League World Cup tournament's finale on November 19. Picture: Isaac Parkin/PA Wire.

Sinfield’s Ultra 7 in 7 Challenge will mainly benefit the MND Association and Leeds Hospitals Charity’s appeal to build the Rob Burrow Centre for MND in Leeds.

There will also be donations to MND Scotland, My Name’5 Doddie Foundation, the Darby Rimmer MND Foundation and the 4ED campaign, in support of former Gloucester and Leicester rugby player Ed Slater, who was recently diagnosed with the disease.

In late 2020, Sinfield raised £2.7million for MND charities after running seven marathons in seven days and a further sum in excess of £1m was generated in November 2021 after he completed a run of 101 miles in 24 hours.

Bristol-born Stewart began his professional career at Bristol Rovers in 1991 and in all made over 650 appearances for eight clubs. When he left Huddersfield to join Ipswich in 2000 he became the Suffolk club’s record signing at that time.

He played in every tier of the English professional game and scored 19 Premier League goals for Ipswich, helping them to a fifth-place finish in the 2000-01 season and UEFA Cup qualification.