A former rugby player who broke his back and neck in an accident nine years ago is running the May 24 Marathon Derby to raise funds for research into an illness that claimed the life of a childhood friend.

Andrew Barnard lost his friend David Heaton-Ellis to incurable Motor Neuron Disease (MND) and will run the race to raise funds for the Heaton-Ellis Trust, set up to raise money to help combat the illness.

Sufferers of MND, a fatal progressive neurological disorder, become trapped in a paralysed body unable to care for themselves or communicate. There is no cure for MND and the average life expectancy after first symptoms is three years.

Mr. Heaton-Ellis, a professional polo player, was diagnosed with the illness last year and died on May 10 at his home in the UK at the age of 39. He is survived by his wife Sophie and 19-month-old son Geordie.

Mr. Heaton-Ellis was the third in his family to die from the illness, having lost his 42-year-old brother and his aunt to the disease. There is a 50 percent chance Geordie will get the illness.

His family set up the Heaton-Ellis Trust with the aim of raising £1 million to fund a DNA sequencing machine for the Neurological Research Team and a three-year research programme at King's College London.

Mr. Barnard, vice president international for White Mountains Re, said: "David's mind was completely clear but physically he was struggling. He found it very difficult to breathe and it was hard for him to speak."

Mr. Barnard, who was a keen rugby player until he fell from a window and fractured his back and neck nine years ago, is looking forward to the challenge of the race.

He said: "I am doing this for David. MND is a cruel disease. This has been a very humbling experience which has made me realise how lucky so many of us are."

Donations towards the Heaton-Ellis Trust can be done through 'just giving' on the web site: http://www.justgiving.com/andrewbarnard.