A former footballer has spent the last 24 HOURS completing a cricket batting session to support a second friend who was diagnosed with motor neurone disease.
Phill Bell played alongside Mark Taylor when Whitley Bay FC brought the FA Vase back to Tyneside in 2009. Just months later, Mark was given the devastating news that he had the terminal condition.
The 39-year-old, who lives in Callerton, Newcastle, was devastated to learn last year that his business partner Paul Smith, 47, had also been diagnosed with motor neurone disease.
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He wanted to help support Paul, who lives in Kilkenny, Ireland, and launched an ambitious fund-raising mission to complete a 24 hour cricket batting session, known as a cricket 'net-athon'.
Phill started batting at 4.30pm on Wednesday at South Northumberland Cricket Club in Gosforth, Newcastle, and completed the challenge at 4.30pm on Thursday.
He told Chronicle Live: "It went brilliantly but it was very tough, it's the hardest thing I have ever done.
"The first six or seven hours weren't too bad then the pain started in my arms, my knees and my back. Then the tiredness started. It was a mental and physical battle.
"We had around 100 to 150 different faces down to the club over the 24 hours. We had queues of people that wanted to bowl, socialise and use the bar. There was a community, family atmosphere.
"It's all in aid of my business partner and friend who was diagnosed with motor neurone disease in 2021. There are a huge amount of health and medical costs which come with it that aren't really catered for in a big way.
"It was my way to show support to him and help him. It was something that I could do that I hope will capture the imagination of people.
"In terms of what we wanted to achieve, it was fantastic. I would say we have managed to raise around £4,250. It was worthwhile in the end."
With the support of his friends, family and the local football community, Mark Taylor has battled the disease for more than 10 years. Paul was diagnosed in April 2021 and has had the condition for around 20 months.
He said: "It's not my first encounter with motor neurone disease. My friend who I played football with was diagnosed with it and he's still going 11 years later.
"I have had two close friends diagnosed with it. It's a really rare condition so for me to know two people as close as I do is unusual really. It's close to my heart."
Phill and Paul, who both come from sporting backgrounds, run ART Health Solutions - a company which helps employers look after their staff's wellbeing.
Phill said: "Paul is 19 to 20 months into it and he's pretty much wheelchair bound now. You wouldn't know if you were talking to him on zoom as he speaks fine but he can't walk and he can't use his arms.
"We had some people come down to the club to offer their support. Their mam had been diagnosed with motor neurone disease in April and had died in October. It's just such a cruel disease. You don't know what speed it is going to progress at.
"It's a disease that hasn't got a cure at the moment and we need to raise funds to find a cure."
Phill said he has raised more than £4,000, with more than £3,700 of the donations being made on his Go Fund Me page. He said 75% of the money raised will go towards Paul's care and the other 25% will be donated to the Irish Motor Neurone Disease Association.
He added: "It's amazing to see the sporting community and our extended community come together and show their support."
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