Monica’s spirit drives on

PORTARLINGTON identity Monica Hayes, who died from Motor Neurone Disease (MND) last year, was remembered in this year’s Daniher’s Drive, which finished on Sunday.

Established by prominent AFL identity Neale Daniher, himself a sufferer of the incurable and terminal condition, the drive is now an annual awareness and fundraising event involving more than 100 cars.

This year, “Team Monica Hayes”, which consisted of her husband and son Geoff and Sam Fary, brother Bernard Hayes and Sam’s mate Marcus Poh, again took part in the four-day event.

The men drove from Essendon to Wagga Wagga, Corowa and Moama in New South Wales, Echuca, Charlton, St Arnaud and Ballarat in Victoria, before finishing at the Deer Park Club.

While they drove Monica’s recent model station wagon in her memory, many of the other entries were in more exotic vehicles, such as a 60-year-old Ford Thunderbird.

Strongly supported by the Portarlington Demons Football and Netball Club and many in the local community, “Team Monica Hayes” raised almost $20,000 in badly needed funds for medical research into the particularly cruel disease.

This year the total amount raised by the event was a staggering $2.1 million.

“It was Monica’s fervent wish that a cure be found for this pernicious condition,” Geoff Fary said.

“While it will obviously come too late for her, the medical research being funded by the ‘Fight MND Foundation’ is yielding results.

“The generosity of our donors means that human trials of some promising new treatments are likely to start soon.”

As well as the long trip, Daniher’s Drive involved entertainment, awareness raising functions and community events in many of the locations visited along the way.

“We were just blown away by the support we received, which even included people approaching us in small towns and handing over unsolicited $100 notes,” Geoff said.

“It will be hard to resist the temptation to saddle up again for the fourth Daniher’s Drive, which will cover a different route next year.’”

Anyone wishing to support the “Fight MND Foundation” can write to Geoff Fary at P.O. Box 204 Portarlington 3223 or email [email protected].