Jai Arrow, a retiring NRL star, announced his determination to battle MND after revealing his diagnosis on Wednesday.
Having played 178 games for teams like the Broncos, Titans, and Rabbitohs, as well as representing Queensland 12 times in State of Origin, Arrow shared his situation during an emotional press conference, sitting in tears as South Sydney CEO Blake Solly addressed the reporters.
Later that day, in an interview with 9News Sydney, Arrow disclosed that MND has already impacted his speech.
"I laughed," Arrow reflected when discussing his initial reaction to 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]."
Common early symptoms of MND can include slurred speech, muscle cramps, weakness in limbs, and unexpected emotional responses.
Arrow expressed his readiness to confront the illness, stating he is open to participating in trials and exploring medications that could benefit others in similar situations.
"I wanted to do this to let people know I am OK and I am ready to fight," he noted.
"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."