Retiring NRL star Jai Arrow says he will do all he can to fight MND after his shock announcement on Wednesday.
Arrow, who played 178 games for the Broncos, Titans and Rabbitohs and represented Queensland 12 times in State of Origin, revealed his MND diagnosis via a press conference, where he sat quietly in tears as South Sydney chief executive Blake Solly spoke.
In an interview with 9News Sydney later that day, Arrow said MND had already affected his speech.
“I laughed,” Arrow said when asked about his first thoughts when he was given the diagnosis.
“Not that I laughed, but my first question was, ‘All right, where do I go now?’ [It has] progressed from November until now. Speech is one of those things [that is different].”
Examples of early symptoms include slurred speech, a weak grip, muscle cramps or twitches, weakness in the legs, weight loss, and laughing or crying in inappropriate situations.
Arrow said he was ready to fight the disease and was willing to undergo trials and medications to help find a solution for other people going through the same thing.
“I wanted to do this to let people know I am OK and I am ready to fight,” he said.
“I do really have a lot. Nothing is gonna take me out easy. I wanna do everything I can — any trial, any medication that will maintain me for as long as I can.
“I want to inspire other people who have been diagnosed.”
Tributes from fellow rugby league stars flowed for Arrow after his announcement, with Latrell Mitchell describing the 30-year-old as the “ultimate teammate” and Cameron Murray saying he was “one of the greats”.
“He’s a wonderful young man to be part of the football club,” Souths coach Wayne Bennett said.
“We can’t believe what’s going to happen to him but he knows he’s got the support of everybody in the change room and he knows he’s got the support of everybody on the staff.”
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