The Marsh freezes over for MND

MAJOR annual FightMND fundraiser Big Freeze in the Marsh was held on Saturday afternoon at Maddingley Park.

Thirteen people from the Bacchus Marsh and Sebastopol football netball club communities were sponsored to slide into an icy pool in costume, all to raise funds for research into treatments and a cure for motor neurone disease.

With a goal of $53,000, the sliders raised $55,000 by the time they went down the slide, and the campaign total hit more than $58,000 by the middle of this week.

Bacchus Marsh Football Netball Club president Ian McClure was ecstatic at the “magnificent” outcome, and at the support for the festivities.

 

“The town comes out to support it, and we’ve raised nearly $60,000, which is incredible,” he said.

“Everybody knows somebody who has MND. The amount of times you’ll be talking to someone and they’ll say, my family member or my friend has been diagnosed… Everyone’s touched by it.

“The diagnosis usually means death at the moment, and that’s the hardest part.”

Ingrid Foster cut the ribbon to get the sliding underway. Her dad Shane had MND and passed away in 2024.

 

Organiser Anne Phyland said a phenomenal effort was made before and throughout the day for the cause, and FightMND representatives passed on their gratitude on behalf of the charity and the family behind it, the Danihers.

The event took place as the Cobras battled the Burra in footy and netball, and Mr McClure thanked Sebastopol FNC’s members for getting on board the cause.

“A lot of people in Sebas have been touched by MND as well,” he said.