Motor Neurone Disease (MND) is the name of a group of diseases that destroy the nerve cells (neurons) that control your muscles. The muscles you use to walk, talk, eat, hug and hold gradually stop working.
Eventually, you’re locked in a body that can no longer move.
MND can affect anyone and sufferers live for just 20-48 months after symptoms begin.
In 2011, one in 200 deaths in New Zealand was due to MND.
Sir Richard Hadlee – Cricketing legend
“A close friend’s wife was diagnosed with motor neurone disease some years ago. It just came out of the blue. Eight months later, she passed away.
“She actually committed suicide as she did not want to go through the process of dying from MND. It was very sad.”
Brett McGregor – MasterChef winner
“Dad was a Coast-to-Coaster, an iron man. He was very healthy and looked after himself. He was 50 when he passed away from MND 18 years ago.
“My dad never met my wife or my son. He never saw me do anything. I was just a travelling bum back then. He worked hard, then never got to enjoy what he worked for.”
Annabel Langbein – Celebrity cook
“I didn’t even know what motor neurone disease was when my mother was diagnosed with it. She died a year later, almost to the day.
“It was incredibly gruelling, but she was so, so brave.”
Tamati Coffey – Former TV presenter
“My partner’s aunt was diagnosed with MND in 2009. The worst part was understanding that with it, her mind was still all there.
“She could still laugh with us, but she lost all her speech. She still had her humour, she was still witty and funny, but she had to type it all into an app on her iPad and then press ‘Voice’.”
How you can help
Join one of the Walk 2 D’Feet MND events being held in 14 towns and cities around New Zealand on Sunday, September 25 to raise money for MND research and support. The walks are short and are family and wheelchair friendly. See mnda.org.nz.
