Dubai: Former Rugby World Cup winner Joost van der Westhuizen is throwing himself into raising money for fellow sufferers of motor neuron disease, with a golf day at Emirates Golf Club on October 4.

The former South Africa scrum-half, part of the team which beat Jonah Lomu's New Zealand in the 1995 final, was diagnosed with the fatal and degenerative disease over the summer. 

Despite being given an 80 per cent chance of living for another two to five years, Van der Westhuizen, in Dubai doing punditry for the OSN Showtime Network, is doing all he can to help find a cure. 

The vastly talented number nine is famous for tackling Lomu head on in the 1995 final after the All Blacks winger had ripped teams apart throughout that tournament. Now he is doing the same with the degenerative disease he has been diagnosed with, through fundraising and awareness drives. 

‘Jazz with Joost' held at West 14 on Tuesday night was a huge success selling out in just two days, but spaces at Joost's Golf Day at Emirates Golf Club on October 4 remain up for grabs. Organisers stress donations and applications can still be made via tee-up@d4rce.com. 

Another fundraiser is billed for November 22 in his native South Africa. 

Asked about his illness, Van der Westhuizen told Gulf News: "Am I bitter? No. Why would I be bitter? This is life. "I've got the opportunity to fix my life 110 per cent before I go — if I have to go through this to save future generations, then why not?" 

The illness eventually shuts down a sufferer's neuro-system, destroying cells which control muscles used for speech, swallowing, walking and breathing, and is paralysing and fatal in most cases. 

Van der Westhuizen said: "It's a terrible disease but I intend to stay positive and raise awareness for it as much as possible. "I know about a month ago they discovered a new gene that causes the disease. Hopefully they can attack that gene and find a cure for it. We're all hopeful of a breakthrough. 

‘Making life comfortable' 

"It's not about the amount of money raised. It's about making life comfortable for sufferers when it comes to medical expenses. It's not just me, it's other patients that I'm going to take with me that can't afford it. I'm in a fortunate situation whereby I can help people. 

"If I sit through this and wail about it I'm going to kill myself so I'd rather live my life to the fullest, stay positive and live in hope. That's all you can do. 

"It's the difference between quality and quantity. People say Stephen Hawking has lived with the disease for 50 years. That's OK, that sounds good, but I'd rather have a few months of quality life than years as a sufferer." 

Asked if he was going to pursue book and film offers to help profile his illness, Westhuizen said: "No, because it's not about me, it's about the disease."