Swansea City Football Club cult hero Lenny Johnrose has shared a heartbreaking update on his health as he continues to battle motor neurone disease.
Mr Johnrose will forever be remembered by Swans fans for his vitally important role in the 2002/03 season when the team were battling against relegation.
The club came through on the final day of the season with a 4-2 victory against Hull City at The Vetch Field, and although James Thomas’s hat-trick heroics stole the plaudits, it was the all important third goal by Johnrose which helped stop the club from dropping out of the football league.
READ MORE: How a twinge in his right hand led to a 'brutal' diagnosis for Swansea City cult hero Lenny Johnrose
Very sadly, the former footballer was diagnosed with motor neurone disease in March, 2017, defined by the NHS as an uncommon condition that affects the brain and nerves. It causes weakness and gradually worsens over time. There’s no cure, but there are treatments to help reduce the impact it has on your daily life.
We interviewed Mr Johnrose back in 2018, and the dad-of-three, married to wife Nadine, shared his story from the moment of his diagnosis to the challenges he has faced in life ever since. You can read more about that by clicking here.
Four years later, he has now shared an update on how he has been getting on since, explaining to his fans how his health is now.
He wrote: "My voice is clinging on for dear life, with some of my words actually being decipherable. I had a bit of a moment yesterday when no words were forthcoming, but a few minutes later, it was all good.
"Oh, and I need to keep my head up to speak, which may explain why Nadine keeps taking off my neck support. The saliva puddle in my mouth is under some sort of control, although there’s still enough to make a cup of tea!
"The legs are still fairly strong, and I’ve rediscovered slight movement in two fingers… And that seems to be it. So I’m still going strong (ish)."
Back in 2018, Some of Swansea City and Burnley Football Club's finest former players gave the ultimate show of respect to Mr Johnrose, forming a guard of honour as he made his way onto the field for a match organised in his honour.
After Mr Johnrose went public about his condition and his personal battle with Motor Neurone Disease, people in Swansea were determined to help, and Gareth Winston and Lee Trundle organised a team of former club legends to all take part in a game in support of him. The game was a goal-fest, and ended with a 10-7 win for the Swansea legends.
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