https://www.townsvillebulletin.com.au/news/carl-webb-opens-up-on-battle-with-motor-neurone-disease/news-story/8c5fd61e95cfc6ece514339cc78e3f96?fbclid=IwAR0DGHUthL87fFuZD5G6EJ4zDnPPSWZoMMjhouEchKqJn2sRcEBmmDpcGCw In the midst of his most daunting and confronting battle yet, Carl Webb is attacking it as he did on the field. Head on. Once a feared warrior of the North Queensland Cowboys and Brisbane Broncos, the frame which made him a State of Origin star has slowly deteriorated ever since his diagnosis with Motor Neurone Disease. Every day is a test of will, a challenge of his mental fortitude to even complete fundamental tasks that were previously purely instinctive. Simply brushing his teeth wears him down. As he gets into an Uber prior to sharing his story with The Townsville Bulletin, he asks his driver for assistance fastening his seatbelt. Webb said he first felt the impacts of the disease in his hands, and more than a year on from his diagnosis they have spread to his legs. But as much as his physical state is diminishing, his mind appears as sharp as ever. The fighting spirit which thrust him into the NRL spotlight has never left, determined that however inevitable his condition may be he will not be defeated on the psychological front. “My strength is deteriorating somewhat, your muscles waste away and wither away. It’s a real conscious effort to do the fundamental things you do every day,” Webb said. “There’s no tricks, I just deal with it every day. I’m not fooling myself, it is a nasty thing and I do have daily reminders just with things like strength, which used to be one of my strengths in the weights room. “That’s something that has completely left me now. I don’t think there’s any short cuts, it’s dealing with it every day and dealing with it head on. “It is a degenerative disease so it does slowly work away at you. You have daily reminders, the fundamental things you do like waking up out of bed and brushing your teeth are a real challenge for me now. “You have to remain strong.” DIAGNOSIS AND COMPREHENSION
It was in February last year Webb’s diagnosis came to light, a fate he admits he felt was coming. Having undergone several studies and appointments upon feeling the initial impacts, the Mount Isa star said he had a fair indication the worst would be revealed. But that alone could not prepare him — Webb said he needed time to comprehend his new reality. Who could blame him? Once heralded for his relentless charge at rival defensive lines, he long epitomised strength as his name became synonymous with the Maroons identity. Now he faces a continual descent, with the average life expectancy of an MND sufferer only two-and-a-half years from their diagnosis. However it was not only he who had to contend with the devastating realisation. The whole Webb clan — including his four children — have had to come to terms with day-to-day life, and yet the now 40-year-old said they had been far from deterred. After 187 NRL games and 15 Queensland appearances, the passion for rugby league has never left Webb, and every time his sons step on to the field for their school or club he is on the sidelines taking it all in. Never has he felt like he has needed to shield how he is feeling from them, nor has he experienced pressure to put on a brave face for their benefit. They have been his beacon to keep fighting, and inspiration to be a voice and not sit in silence. “It certainly turned my world upside down, and it took a little while for me to find my feet and obviously start dealing with it,” Webb admits. “But it wasn’t just me that had to handle that news, the family had to cope along with me on this journey, and I couldn’t ask for a better support system. “From an outsider looking in I can understand how it would seem but I really can’t explain how wonderful even my young kids have been, they’re like my little shadows. “They know dad is sick but are extremely helpful and are extremely resilient.” FACE OF CHANGE Webb’s support networks have stretched even further than his family, with the likes of former teammates Chris Walker and Nate Myles walking from Cairns to Gold Coast to raise funds for numerous charities — including the Carl Webb Foundation. The Foundation aims to raise funds for a variety of support services, including MND and Me Queensland who provide care relief to families and donate towards research in finding a cure. For Myles, a former teammate of Webb's, witnessing his plight has been heartbreaking. The famed 'Q' shaved into the side of Webb's hair during his State of Origin days was in itself a rallying cry for his teammates, a constant reminder to his New South Wales rivals he was willing to plead for his team. A man Myles once feared for the way he confronted everyone and everything in front of him, now brought to his knees. Almost too tough to bear, and yet it is why he has joined the cause. “When it’s someone so close to you it means so much, and to be physically scared of someone’s physical capabilities as a healthy man then see him not in that way shakes you up,” Myles said. “Young kids donating what would be a whole week’s wage to us who have been struggling with mental health for years, they’re the moments you realise what you’re doing is important. “It didn’t take much convincing (for me to take part). We’re doing this for awareness and to raise funds and trying to make a difference … it doesn’t discriminate this stuff.” Now based in Brisbane, Webb still leans on the support of the Broncos old boys, frequently going on camping trips and games with the kids in tow. Perhaps unintentionally, he has became the face of a cause spearheading what he hopes will lead to change. Prior to his attendance at a MND lunch at Queensland Country Bank Stadium, Webb called on the community to assist in the initiative, which aims to raise funds towards research and support services for those combating the illness. With today being the final day of MND Week — as the two Queensland NRL sides he proudly represented prepare to clash in Townsville — he said he has rarely felt obligated to be a voice for those struggling. Rather it was something which occurred over time, a burning desire in a space he believed he could make a difference in well into the future. “It was sort of a fairly natural thing, it was bred out of wanting to catch up with friends and family at some sort of event and through the early stages of diagnosis all the support I was receiving was wonderful and quite overwhelming,” Webb said. “To see those support systems, I wanted to give something back. I was never wanting anything, I still don’t, I have huge support through my support team underneath the NDIS banner. “I didn’t feel any pressure at all, and I still don’t feel an obligation, however it was something I felt strongly and passionately about.” >>To donate, head to carlwebbfoundation.org
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