NEALE Daniher is not a doctor.
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He doesn’t know how long it will take for researchers to find a cure for Motor Nuerone Disease (MND) – but he’s going to spend whatever time he has left trying to help them.
The boy from Ungarie, the AFL legend and high-profile face of the disease is using his influence to keep MND in the spotlight.
Awareness of the disease that slowly paralyses the body peaked last year with the famous ice bucket challenge.
“Every day you open the newspaper, there is another therapy and another treatment,” said Daniher, who is living with MND.
“The problem is it is locally underfunded.
“What we’re trying to do is raise money to fund medical research and find a cure.
“It’s going to be very, very difficult if there is no money.”
Daniher, patron of the Cure for MND Foundation, urged Riverina people to support a new initiative called Freeze for MND.
The fundraiser will dunk AFL stars in a “giant” pool of ice before the Queen’s Birthday Collingwood v Melbourne clash at the MCG.
“The main message is I can’t do it on my own,” he said.
“Every day two or three people get diagnosed with MND and every day that passes, another person dies.”
Daniher is optimistic a cure is on its way and is betting on a medical breakthrough.
“It probably won’t happen in my lifetime, though,” he said. “But that’s not to say it won’t happen for someone else.”
MND is a cruel killer.
The body’s motor neurones – the nerves that enable the body to move, speak and breathe – slowly die.
It is a terminal illness and patients are only expected to survive between two and four years after diagnosis.
The majority of research into the disease is funded through public efforts.
Daniher said there has been great support for the latest awareness campaign, with more than $350,000 already raised.
“It’s been overwhelming,” he said.
Daniher first played for Ungarie in the Northern Riverina Football League before becoming an Essendon stalwart. In his post-playing career he was coach of Melbourne Football Club and general manager of the West Coast Eagles prior to standing down.
Visit freezemnd.com to donate to the campaign.