Wiltshire man runs 184 miles for motor neurone disease charity

Summarised from 3 outlets · Updated 15 Oct, 15:31 · Archive

Tom Spearman, 31, ran 184 miles in over 40 hours along the Thames Path to raise money for motor neurone disease research after his mother's diagnosis.

Tom Spearman, 31, from Ford near Chippenham in Wiltshire, ran 184 miles along the Thames Path in just over 40 hours on 10 October. The challenge was undertaken to raise money for motor neurone disease research following his mother Elisa's diagnosis at the beginning of 2025. He has raised over £80,000 for the My Name'5 Doddie Foundation, established in 2017 by the late Scotland rugby union player Doddie Weir after his own MND diagnosis.

The foundation has since committed more than £24 million to research seeking effective treatments and ultimately a cure for the disease. The Thames Path is equivalent to more than seven marathons and took Tom from Chippenham through Oxford, Reading, Henley, Windsor, Richmond and London.

Motor neurone disease affects the nerves that carry messages from the brain to the muscles and gradually impacts a person's ability to move, speak, swallow and breathe. Spearman said: 'MND is a desperately cruel disease. Like many families, we knew very little about it until Mum was diagnosed and suddenly it became part of everyday life. Watching someone you love go through that is incredibly difficult.'

He explained that fundraising gave him something positive to focus on and a way of contributing to the search for better treatments. 'Part of the reason I wanted to undertake such an extreme challenge was because I wanted to use my body and push it to its limits,' he said. 'Mum is gradually losing her physical abilities because of the disease and it felt appropriate to take on a challenge centred around physical endurance.'

How it is being reported

• Wiltshire man runs for over 40 hours after mum's 'cruel' diagnosisA man from Wiltshire has run 184-miles in just over 40 hours to raise money for a motor neurone charity following his mum's diagnosis.Gazette & Herald · 15 Oct, 15:00
• Wiltshire man runs for over 40 hours after mum's 'cruel' diagnosisA man from Wiltshire has run 184-miles in just over 40 hours to raise money for a motor neurone charity following his mum's diagnosis.Swindon Advertiser · 15 Oct, 15:00
• Wiltshire man runs for over 40 hours after mum's 'cruel' diagnosisA man from Wiltshire has run 184-miles in just over 40 hours to raise money for a motor neurone charity following his mum's diagnosis.Wiltshire Times · 15 Oct, 15:00

In this story: Tom Spearman · Elisa Spearman · Doddie Weir · My Name'5 Doddie Foundation · Thames Path · Chippenham

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