Motor Neurone Disease New Zealand (MND NZ) is partnering up with North Otago Rugby Football Union (NORFU) and Bunnings Timaru to help increase acceptance and understanding of motor neurone disease (MND) in the community and raise vital funds for those impacted by MND.
NORFU is hosting a special day of rugby on Saturday 21 September as part of the Bunnings Warehouse Heartland Championship, starting with North Otago v Mid Canterbury match and followed by a charity auction, with auction items including Bunnings merchandise and custom designed rugby jerseys. All proceeds will go towards supporting service delivery in the Southern Region to make time count for people living with MND.
Founded in 1985 by a group of volunteers with experience caring for MND patients, MND NZ is the only charity focused on improving quality of life, funding research and campaigning for people affected by MND in Aotearoa New Zealand.
Mark Leggett, Chief Executive of MND NZ said: “Motor neurone disease is a devastating, rapidly progressing disease that affects people from all communities, ethnicities, and occupations. It causes progressive loss of mobility in the limbs, and difficulties with speech, swallowing, and breathing. At present, there is no truly effective treatment and no known cure.
We are so appreciative of this incredible community support. We receive very little Government funding and rely greatly on the generosity of New Zealanders to aid us in providing support and advocacy for those affected”.
About Motor Neurone Disease
About Motor Neurone Disease
Motor neurone disease (MND) is a fatal, rapidly progressing neurodegenerative disease that robs people of their ability to move, talk, and eventually breathe.
Often known as ALS or Lou Gehrig’s disease, MND is a group of conditions with ALS being by far the largest proportion. All have roughly the same pathway and always the same outcome. Little is understood about the causes of MND. There are currently very few treatment options available, and no cure. The average life expectancy is three to five years after diagnosis.
There are around 400 people living with MND in NZ at any given time, with on average 2 people dying each week and 3 people receiving a diagnosis.
The incidence rate of MND in NZ is higher than the rest of the world - researchers are trying to find out why so we can change it.
MND can affect adults at any age, but most people diagnosed with MND are over the age of 40, with the highest incidence occurring between the ages of 50 and 70.
About Motor Neurone Disease NZ
Motor Neurone Disease NZ is the only charity focused on improving quality of life, funding research and campaigning for people affected by MND in NZ.
The charity receives very little government funding to deliver its services, relying on the generosity of New Zealanders to provide support and contribute to research.
We are raising funds to provide support for families currently affected, helping to make time count by providing the best support possible in a meaningful way that answers questions and solves challenges quickly.
We are also raising funds to support promising research that delivers improvements in quality of life that's happening here in Aotearoa New Zealand, as well as supporting global research efforts identifying potential causes and effective therapies.