Warrington Wolves CEO reveals fear after being struck down by rare disease

chief executive has revealed how he was struck down by a rare auto-immune disease which could have killed him.

In March, the 44-year-old former player and Ireland international was diagnosed with Acute Motor Axonal Neuropathy. It is a variant of Guillain–Barré syndrome, a potentially life-threatening neurological disorder that occurs when the body’s immune system attacks the peripheral nervous system. It left him almost powerless in his hands and feet, hospitalised for a week and fearing he had Motor Neurone Disease.

Recalling how the condition’s symptoms first affected him, Fitzpatrick told Mirror Sport : “We played Hull KR away on March 7 and I drove to the game but felt absolutely terrible. That sickness persisted for about a week and I was left with really intense pain in my fingers, hands and particularly my feet.

“As the pain started to subside after a day or two, I began to lose power in my hands and feet, so I started to develop a limp and it got gradually worse. All the blood tests came back fine, apart from a lack of Vitamin D, but all the while I was getting weaker and weaker. We played London Broncos away on the Sunday and I couldn’t get my cards out of my wallet, so I had to ask people to do it for me so I could pay for my Tube ticket.

“I couldn’t tie my shoelaces either or cut my own food up so yes, at that point I feared I might have MND. I began searching the internet and that’s one of the worst things you can do when you start losing powers in your hands and you begin limping. What you read online isn’t great.”

Wigan Warriors chairman Professor Chris Brookes, a popular figure in the game and a good friend of Fitzpatrick’s, was a huge pillar of support. Fitzpatrick explained: “Brookesy was great with advice and suggestions, and recommended that I went to see Dr Mark Kellett, a leading consultant neurologist. I was eventually admitted to Salford Royal Hospital, where Brookesy used to be the medical director and where there is a decent neurology ward.

“I explained my symptoms and they pushed me straight through to triage. I was asking all kinds of questions ‘is this Motor Neurone Disease?’ and it was terrifying as I waited for the results. All the while, I was losing power and struggling to hold a cup or knife and fork.

“I’m thinking ‘bloody hell, what’s going on here’ and then during one night in hospital I got up to go to the toilet and my legs just went. I hit the deck in the middle of the night and there were no nurses on the ward, so I had to crawl to the corridor to get some help. The doctors put the ECG on me and my just plummeted before they a drip on me to get my hydrated.

“At this stage I was still not exactly aware of what illness I had. I then had a spinal tap – when they take fluid out of your spine – and I’m not a fan of having needles stuck in me so I was sweating profusely. It was brutal and I’m still not sure what it is but the nurse told me ‘there are raised proteins in your spine fluid’ but what did that actually mean?

“This is again where Brookesy is great as I was in my hospital bed texting him late at night and he was explaining that it was presenting itself clearly as Guillain–Barré syndrome.”

Fitzpatrick was eventually diagnosed with that disease and ended up spending seven days in hospital. t is not known what causes Guillain-Barré syndrome, but is thought to be caused by problems with the immune system. It usually starts within a few weeks of an infection, such as flu or a stomach bug, and the main treatment for it is immunotherapy to stop your immune system from attacking your nerves.

Fitzpatrick explained: “With this condition – which affects one in every 100,000 people – your immune system goes haywire and basically eats away at your nerves. The first two weeks when your symptoms come on are a crucial period as to how rapidly it spreads.

“They told me ‘we may have to do a plasma transfusion’ but they were pretty comfortable that it had stabilised and wasn’t progressing any further. Crucially, what happened with me is that it stopped midway my up my arms and my knees.

“Thankfully it didn’t progress any further but had it got into my diaphragm or lungs then that would’ve been fatal.”

Tragically, the young niece of a club sponsor at Warrington died from Guillain–Barré syndrome. Fitzpatrick was told by medics that symptoms could last for the rest of his life but they have improved and his nerve regeneration has seen his health improve significantly. He is now able to drive again and added: “I’m nowhere near 100% but I’m miles better.

“I’ve done a lot of research on the supplements and vitamins I should be taking, so hopefully that is helping and everyone at the club has been incredibly supportive.

“It’s been a spiritual and enlightening experience and reinforced what’s important in life – my wife, two daughters and having fun. Confucius, the Chinese philospher, said “We have two lives, and the second begins when we realize we only have one. What I’ve been through has made me realise that is so true.”