Thousands of people are expected to turn out in support of The Great MND Relay this Saturday April 27th at Lakeside Stadium in Albert Park which is held for the MND community. MC Anthony Callea is no stranger to the MND cause, having been appointed as Ambassador for the first Great MND Relay event in 2022 and continues to support MND Victoria on its quest ensuring until there's a cure there's care.
"Back in 2022, my friend Greg lost his battle with MND. The pain he, his husband and everyone around him went through was devastating," said Anthony. "The loss of Greg taught me, and everyone who knew him, that MND can happen to any one of us. I've seen firsthand the assistance and support MND Victoria gives to people living with MND, which is why I am once again joining them at The Great MND Relay – this time as MC. Personally, I can't wait to make this the Greatest MND Relay yet."
Joining Anthony will be Warren 'Woz' Acott, who last month embarked on an 800km journey on his ride on mower to Parliament House. Woz who himself was diagnosed with motor neurone disease in June 2023, is campaigning to make MND a notifiable disease, a mission that resulted in a meeting with the Prime Minister.
"Woz and the Mow Down MND mission inspired thousands of people through the pure determination and true 'Aussie spirit' he displayed," said MND Victoria CEO, Kate Johnson. "The challenge at this year's Great MND Relay is 'how far will you go?'. Woz proved he's willing to go the distance, so we thought it was only appropriate to have him officially start The Great MND Relay."
This year marks the third iteration of The Great MND Relay. Every year the concept challenge changes to create a fun and engaging way to raise awareness of MND and acknowledging the organisation behind it all, MND Victoria.
"This year's event runs for 251 minutes, which represents the number of Victorians who have been diagnosed with MND in the past 12 months," said Daniel Woodrow, MND Victoria's General Manager – Community Engagement. "The support from the MND community and the growth of The Great MND Relay has been remarkable. MND is a devastating disease but the shear grit and resilience shown by all who are impacted is inspiring. I'm humbled to be part of such a generous and committed community."
MND Victoria are aiming to raise $350,000 to ensure they can continue providing their essential support services to the 511 Victorians who are currently living with MND, and those who will be diagnosed in the future. These support services are provided at no cost to the person with MND and include, but are not limited to:
- MND Advisor and Support Coordinator Service: MND Advisors provide support to people living with MND to assist them to live as long as possible with the best quality of life possible.
- Equipment Service: MND Victoria has developed an extensive range of assistive technology equipment, available free of charge to people with MND.
- Education and Client Support Service: The Client Support and Education service provides comprehensive education and information support to people impacted by MND as well as being the first point of contact for new clients and processing new registrations.
- Carer Programs: MND impacts more than just the person living with the disease. MND Victoria strive to provide appropriate levels of support to who are providing care and support to their loved ones.
MND is a progressive, degenerative disease that attacks the nerves that support movement, speech, swallowing and breathing. There is currently no known cause, treatment, or cure, and the average life expectancy after diagnosis is 27 months.
The Great MND Relay is hosted on the official website www.mndrelay.org.au. All money raised through this initiative directly supports people living with MND.
Until there's a cure, there's care.
About us:
MND Victoria has focussed on care and support programs to improve the lives of thousands of Victorian families impacted by MND for the last 43 years. We are the only not-for-profit organisation providing direct care to all Victorians living with the devastating disease, and those who will be diagnosed in the future, at no cost to them.
