Portsmouth group told how viral challenge for MND raised £7m

In 2014, millions of people took part in the Ice Bucket Challenge for Motor Neurone Disease (MND) Association with people filming themselves having iced water poured on them.

The challenge raised £7m in the UK and round £150m around the world.

The Portsmouth and south east Hampshire group of the MND Association were visited by the charity’s director of research development Brian Dickie. During his talk at The Rowans Hospice, in Purbrook, he explained how important the donations were.

He said: ‘Medical research is a lengthy process of trial and error and there’s a lot we still don’t know about the disease. But I am heartened by progress in the three years since the Ice Bucket Challenge.

‘As a neuroscientist for more than 25 years I know there aren’t quick fixes to this disease but I am enthusiastic and can see the momentum growing.’