$2000 raised in walk against MND
About 200 Whanganui people hit the pavement in the battle against motor neurone disease.
The third annual Walk 2 D’Feet Motor Neurone Disease — a fundraiser organised by Lana Hook and the Whanganui motor neurone disease (MND) support group — was held on Sunday and raised almost $2000 for the cause.
The walkers were preceded by the West Coast Bombers roller derby team, and they brought with them lots of dogs and young children in prams, Hook said.
She’s involved because her mother died of MND about three years ago. Most of the support group’s members have been affected in some way by the disease. The walk on Sunday probably raised nearly $2000, and there are still raffles to be drawn this week. The money will go to MND New Zealand, and be used to support families whose members have MND. It will also be put into research into the group of MND diseases, and Hook said lots more needs to be known about them.
Motor neurone diseases kill the nerve cells that activate muscles we use to move, speak, swallow and breathe. Without being activated the muscles waste away and die.
Most people live 20 to 48 months after diagnosis.
There are more than 300 people with MND in New Zealand.
The cause of the disease is unknown but 10 per cent of sufferers have inherited it.