Community gathers to fight MND

A VOLLEY of vehicles rolled up to Darley Park last week with the suburb the first of four stops in this year’s Daniher’s Drive.

With the goal of raising funds for motor neurone disease, or MND, research, the eighth annual initiative saw participants with the non-profit organiser FightMND visiting the region.

With about 60 vehicles travelling as part of the participating convoy, the local reception was hosted between Ray White Bacchus Marsh staff and the Darley Football Netball Club.

Ray White marketing and events coordinator Allison Hetherington said the event, which marked the first time the Daniher’s Drive initiative rolled into town, was a casual community event aimed at supporting a worthy cause.

“Today’s really to thank them for all the work they do with a community event,” she said.

“We’ve got kids from Darley Primary School doing football drills. We’ve had local businesses donate sausages in bread, and sweets, and Bacchus Marsh Primary are here with scones from their kitchen garden jam.

“Everything’s been donated. It’s just about involving the community in something worthwhile.”

The Daniher’s Drive event has raised nearly $15 million towards MND research since its establishment in 2014 by former AFL player and coach Neale Daniher, who himself was diagnosed with the disorder.

Between the non-profit’s other initiatives, including the annual Big Freeze, the FightMND organisation as a whole is estimated to have raised more than $85 million.

Bec Daniher, one of Neale’s daughters and FightMND campaign director, said she was pleased to see the support from Darley’s community and surrounding businesses.

“We’ve had such incredible support from the Bacchus Marsh and Darley area each year with the Big Freeze and it’s great to see everyone behind this cause,” she said.

“Community support has always been the cornerstone of FightMND. It’s enabled us to continue to fight this beast, and regional communities are the lifeblood.

“It’s been really hard to see the impact MND’s had on Dad. He was told in 2013 he likely only had 27 months to live, so we’re really lucky he’s still with us.

“This event’s been his baby. He grew up in the country so it was so important for him and us to get out of the city into regional areas and show our support for people that have supported us from the get-go.”

The convoy travelled to Bendigo, Warrnambool and Lorne following the Darley visit.