MND fundraising spearheads Sue Flagg and Allison Prentice. Photo: Supplied.
When Barellan Central School staffer Allison Prentice lost her brother to Motor Neurone Disease (MND) in 2013, she was determined to prevent other families from going through what she endured.
“He was so big and strong and the disease just took it all away from him,” she said.
“By the end he couldn’t even scratch himself. When he had pins and needles I had to move his legs for him because he didn’t have the strength to do it himself.”
Ms Prentice wants to see better treatment and, ultimately, a cure for the mystery disease that causes muscles to weaken over time and kills most sufferers within five years of diagnosis.
Assistant principal Sue Flagg, who lost an uncle to MND, was happy to support the cause.
Over the past nine years, Barellan Central School has been running a successful MND fundraiser.
Last month yielded a record result, with the school raising more than $1000 for not-for-profit organisation MND Australia, which invests in research to find treatments and a cure for MND.
“The students all dressed in blue and we did a walk around town to raise money,” Ms Flagg said.
“We also had blue cakes and blue sausages. The children sold MND merchandise.
“We usually have an ice bucket challenge, but this year we got the kids to fill up water balloons and peg them at a teacher of their choice.
“That was very popular.”
Barellan students wear blue for the MND fundraiser. Photo: Supplied.
The generosity of her school touched Ms Prentice.
“They’re such good kids. When one of us hurts, we all hurt.”
Ms Prentice’s brother, Malcolm Shore, grew up in Leeton but was diagnosed with MND while living in Queensland.
“He hung on for about two and a half years and died when he was 41. I still get teary thinking about it,” she said.
“In the end he could talk but could only have smooth foods. He couldn’t even gulp.”
According to information on the MND Australia website, it is estimated that, at any one time, around 2100 people are living with MND in this country.
Every day two people are diagnosed with MND in Australia and two die from the disease.
Research by Macquarie University has highlighted a higher than average prevalence of MND in the Riverina with Griffith, Leeton and Wagga labelled MND hotspots.
The Guardian Australia reported that Griffith had seven times the rate of MND compared to the national average.
Ms Flagg said Barellan Central School’s fundraising effort was also inspired by West Wyalong-born Neale Daniher, the former Essendon AFL player diagnosed with the disease in 2014 and had been a prominent MND campaigner since.
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