A doctor diagnosed with motor neurone disease (MND) at the age of 34 is set to walk the length of Hadrian’s Wall to raise awareness of the condition.

Luke Hames-Brown, who lives near Oxford and is now 35, said he will be thinking of late rugby legends and MND campaigners Rob Burrow and Doddie Weir as he undertakes the 84-mile cross-England trek.

He hopes the challenge will help him to create "special memories" with his wife Kate, who will accompany him throughout the eight-day venture, from June 8-15.

Luke Hames-BrownLuke Hames-Brown (Image: My Name’5 Doddie Foundation)

He will be raising money for the My Name'5 Doddie Foundation set up by former Scotland rugby player Doddie Weir, who died from MND in 2022, and the MND Association.

He said: “The way Rob Burrow, like Doddie Weir, approached his MND was an inspiration for me, and our challenge, the funds we raise, and the awareness we generate will be in his memory as well."

Mr Hames-Brown said he and is wife "sat by a river and just cried" when he was diagnosed in April 2023.

He said: “I'd recently had a patient receive an MND diagnosis, and I knew what it meant. My immediate thoughts weren’t about me to be honest, I was thinking about Kate, my parents and our families.

“Initially, I needed some time off work to think and process what was happening, and after this I thought – I’m not going to let this thing beat me."

He sets day-to-day goals that help him to maintain a routine and as normal a life as possible, including tending to chickens and their allotment at home, and taking part in a weekly 5km parkrun.

Rob Burrow who lived with MND has died Rob Burrow who lived with MND has died (Image: PA) He continued: "I know my MND is going to get progressively worse, and I have to accept greater vulnerability, but I won’t let it stop me doing what I love.

"I just do it differently. It’s a recalibration of what I can and want to achieve each day.”

The keen hill-walker, who retired as a GP earlier this year, is set to tackle around 10 miles per day during the walk.

The couple have so far raised almost £20,000 but have motivations beyond raising money.

Mr Hames-Brown said: "I want to raise as much money as we can to help further research into MND and support those affected by the disease.

“More than that, I also hope that people out there who are perhaps struggling with difficult moments or news in life might see me taking this challenge on and believe they too can build memories and experiences, face adversity head on, and not let it stop them doing what they love."