Former England Women’s captain Steph Houghton has shared a poignant update on her husband Stephen Darby’s struggle with motor neurone disease. The ex-Liverpool defender was compelled to hang up his boots in September 2018 following his diagnosis with the brutal health condition.
Darby, 36, had been wed to Houghton for a mere three months before receiving the harrowing diagnosis, having noticed symptoms of arm weakness. The progressive disease has been attacking his brain and nervous system for over six years, with his health deteriorating recently.
While there is no cure for MND at present, treatments exist that aim to mitigate its impact on everyday life. According to the MND Association, the disorder affects as many as 5,000 adults across the UK at any given time.
“We are so desperate for that cure, we are so desperate for money to be put into research to allow families to have that little bit of hope,” Houghton expressed.
“How do you ever describe the changes that we’ve had as a family? It’s so hard to see your husband who had so much promise in his football career. To see that being taken away from him, but also the simple tasks that we take for granted – being able to walk, being able to have food, being able to get up the stairs.”
She confessed: “I’m not going to lie and I’m not going to sit here and pretend that I have the best days, because I don’t.”
Supporters of the Darby Rimmer MND Foundation are set to embark on a monumental 178-mile journey on foot, beginning at Wembley and including 26 football stadiums along the route.
The foundation was established in 2019 after former Liverpool, Bradford and Bolton defender Darby teamed up with British Forces veteran Chris Rimmer.
Facing the daily challenges that come with living with Motor Neurone Disease (MND), Darby and his partner Houghton remain optimistic about the prospect of parenthood. Houghton shared her emotional struggle in witnessing her husband’s health decline as they approach a charity walk this weekend to fundraise for the Darby Rimmer MND Foundation.
In a heartfelt interview with ITV, Houghton, who retired from professional football last year following a fruitful decade with Manchester City, disclosed: “It was always a dream of ours to be parents one day and that’s still possible.
“It’s something that we’ll always continue to speak about. I love him to absolute bits, I know he’s as strong as ever. He’s willing to fight this for as long as possible.”
Darby revealed on Instagram in December 2023 his increased susceptibility to significant injuries as a result of his inability to break falls with his hands or arms, which is a consequence of muscle weakness caused by MND.
Last year, he successfully raised £130,000 with fellow former footballer Marcus Stewart, who is also battling MND, by completing a gruelling 178-mile charity march from Anfield to Valley Parade, home of Bradford City.
Content Source: www.express.co.uk