Bairnsdale Football Netball Club’s promotion for this year’s DIY Big Freeze motor neurone disease fundraiser is heating up, and it’s shaping up to be a big day.
Last year’s DIY Big Freeze raised more than $100,000, with more than 20 sliders taking the plunge into the freezing water.
The event also took the gong of being the biggest country DIY Big Freeze in the country, in front of Geelong.
This year, organisers are hoping to match or exceed last year’s figures.
“We’re hoping to have around the same number of sliders we had last year, so around 20,” event organiser, Vicky Waddell, said.
“People can also donate to each individual slider, we did that last year and promoted some healthy competition between the sliders.”
The list of sliders to take this year’s plunge hasn’t been revealed yet, but will be as the big day gets closer.
Phil Camden, who was diagnosed with MND 10 years ago, said the support from the event has been overwhelming.
“It’s just great to be part of the Bairnsdale Football Netball Club fundraiser because we really do need to find a cure for this disease,” Mr Camden said.
“The more money we raise, the faster we can get a cure and faster we get a cure then we can tell the next person who’s been diagnosed, don’t worry we’ve got you covered.
“The way the Bairnsdale Football Netball Club has got behind us, words can’t express the gratitude and thanks we have as a community of MND sufferers, it’s fantastic.”
Fight MND spokesperson, Lynne Kearney, said towns such as Bairnsdale have been integral to the fight against the degenerative condition.
“These events and the money that’s raised to communities like this is really what makes the difference,” Fight MND spokesperson, Lynne Kearney, said.
“In the 10 years that Fight MND has been going, we’re now one of the largest funders of research into MND in the world, and it’s all thanks to communities such as Bairnsdale.
“But we know the fight’s not over. We won’t stop until we find a cure.
“Everyday in Australia two people will die from MND and two more are diagnosed, and that is something that we want to stop.
“Our vision is absolutely a world without MND, and communities like Bairnsdale are going to help us get there, so thank you so much for all your support.”
Currently, more than 2000 Australians are living with MND, and their average life expectancy is only 27 months.
Since FightMND began it has currently invested $85 million into finding an effective treatment or cure, including 16 clinical trials for Australian patients and 30 drug
development projects.
Additionally, nearly $12 million has been put into vital assistive equipment to help improve the lives of Australians living with MND.
