When Justin Yerbury’s family members began to die from motor neurone disease he made a life-changing decision. He turned his back on a professional basketball career and enrolled in a science degree. Almost 20 years later, he is an internationally recognised expert on the disease, leading the way in the search for a treatment. Recently, however, Justin’s work took on a terrible urgency as he too developed symptoms of MND. As Australian Story filmed with Justin and his family, his condition deteriorated dramatically, requiring difficult decisions to enable him to continue his search for a cure. Having met Justin in 2016, Professor Stephen Hawking recorded the introduction to this story shortly before his death from motor neurone disease.