Lewis Moody, the former England rugby captain and 2003 World Cup winner, has opened up about his health challenges.
Talking to the BBC, the 47-year-old shared that he has been diagnosed with motor neurone disease and was having a difficult time accepting the news, though his symptoms were relatively mild.
"There's something about looking the future in the face and not wanting to really process that at the minute. It's not that I don't understand where it's going. We understand that. But there is absolutely a reluctance to look the future in the face for now," Moody noted.
He revealed that despite being struck with the diagnosis and feeling the emotional weight of it, "I feel like nothing's wrong", as his symptoms are quite minor and he does not particularly feel ill.
Expressing his hope for the future, the former captain added, "I'm still capable of doing anything and everything. And hopefully that will continue for as long as is possible."
Motor neurone disease (MND) can prove fatal within 12-18 months of diagnosis, with people in Britain believed to have a one in 300 risk of developing the neurological condition.
About one in five cases are believed to be related to genetics, and it was announced last year that relatives of people with the condition were to be offered genetic testing that would tell them if they were also likely to develop it.
Moody, who won English and European titles with Leicester during his playing career, told BBC Breakfast that two weeks after learning he had the disease, he felt "at ease" as he focused all his attention on his wellbeing, his family and the future.
"Maybe that's shock or maybe I process things differently, and once I have the information, it's easier," he said.
According to the BBC, Moody discovered he had MND after noticing some weakness in his shoulder while training in the gym. After sensing no improvement with physiotherapy, scans showed nerves in his brain and spinal cord had been damaged by MND.
The most emotional part about his diagnosis, Moody admitted, was sharing the information with his mom as her only child.
He also spoke about the difficulty when it came to telling his two teenage sons.
"We sat on the couch in tears, Ethan and Dylan both wrapped up in each other, then the dog jumped over and started licking the tears off our faces, which was rather silly."
Notably, fellow rugby players Doddie Weir and Rob Burrow died from the illness in recent years, while high-profile names in the sports do their part in raising awareness and funds.
