NRL to throw Jai Arrow ‘world’s biggest birthday party’ for MND donations

The NRL will throw Jai Arrow the “world’s biggest birthday party” on July 12 when his former team South Sydney play Newcastle at Accor Stadium, asking supporters to bring donations for MND charities instead of presents.

Arrow, who was diagnosed with motor neurone disease and forced into retirement last month, flew out of Sydney on Friday to spend a week at SHA Spain, a wellness retreat tucked into the Sierra Helada hillside on the Mediterranean Sea.

Arrow told this masthead his schedule is “flat out”, with the resort offering everything from saunas and massages to the more complex hyperbaric oxygen chambers, cryotherapy and photobiomodulation red light sessions.

On Tuesday, Arrow underwent “intermittent hypoxic therapy” where he inhaled alternates of low (hypoxic) oxygen and high (hyperoxic) oxygen.

But as much as Arrow is in Spain for the health treatments, he’s predominantly there to escape.

“Essentially, I was told about retreats and thought it would be a great idea to learn about certain things like diet, different medicine and to be honest, to get away from reality for a bit before I come home and get ready to face the music and get into extensive treatment,” he said.

The party for his 31st birthday next month takes inspiration from Paul “Fatty” Vautin’s “World’s Biggest Barbeque” in 1993, and was conceived of at a meeting on Tuesday between rugby league powerbrokers Peter V’landys, Andrew Abdo, South Sydney chief executive Blake Solly, Arrow’s agent David Riolo, and Clint Newton of the RLPA.

“We will throw the biggest birthday party in the world,” V’landys said. “It will be a huge occasion with the whole game involved. Don’t bring presents. Bring a donation.”

When Arrow returns from Spain, his fight against MND continues. On top of the treatment, Arrow is also gearing up to raise awareness about MND and now, to attend the party in his honour.

Along with the NRL’s planned events for next month’s clash against Newcastle, South Sydney’s round 15 fixture against the Broncos is being targeted as a significant occasion given Arrow made his NRL debut with Brisbane in 2016.

“What’s next is pretty much what I’m doing right now to continue and inspire people with this disease, however that may be, and to continue to fight as best and as long as I can,” Arrow said.

“My sole focus is to be around for as long as possible for my friends, family and most importantly my fiance and to watch my daughter grow. That’s what drives me and of course my stubbornness to prove people wrong.”

V’landys said the NRL was still working on a “Jai July” concept but wil