Charlie Bird: 'From now on, I will be using a wheelchair'

The retired broadcaster and Motor Neurone Disease advocate issued an update on Twitter/X today, two years on from his diagnosis.

Charlie Bird, pictured in Dublin in June of 2023. Pic: Stephen Collins/Collins Photos

Retired broadcaster and Motor Neurone Disease advocate Charlie Bird has updated his many supporters on his condition in a Twitter post on Wednesday afternoon, two years on from his diagnosis of the neurological condition.

"Two years ago this week I got my diagnosis of Motor Neurone [Disease]," says the former chief correspondent of RTÉ.

"Along with my lost voice, now I depend on a feeding tube, and from now on I will be using a wheelchair."

"But nothing is going to stop me helping groups who extend the hand of friendship while I have a breath in my body."

Two years ago this week I got my diagnosis of Motor Neurone. Along with my lost voice, now I depend on a feeding tube, and from now on I will be using a wheelchair. But nothing is going to stop me helping groups who extend the hand of friendship while I have a breath in my body.

— Charlie Bird (@charliebird49) October 25, 2023

The news comes as the latest in a series of online updates on his condition, keeping people in the loop after rallying support with last year's Climb with Charlie campaign, that raised over €3.5m for the Irish Motor Neurone Disease Association and mental-health organisation Pieta.

The village of Murrisk in Co Mayo, the departure point for the April 2022 fund-raising Croagh Patrick climb, is "giving a permanent home to a stone to mark" the occasion, according to another recent update.

Bird's charity outreach continues regardless, currently raising funds and awareness for the work of the Samaritans mental-health charity via fellow broadcaster Brent Pope's Elephant in the Room project - addressing the elephant in the room, quite literally.

The initiative sees artists and celebrities decorate and sign sculptures of baby elephants, to be auctioned to the highest bidder - and Bird has co-designed one of these pieces with artist Niall O'Loughlin, and had it signed by President Michael D. Higgins - bidding continues here, with all proceeds to the Samaritans.