05/06/2026
With MND so prevalent in the news lately, the lack of awareness and BIG FREEZE 12 this weekend we thought we would share our connection to the cause.
My Dad’s Journey with MND – 7 Years Fighting the Beast
Before MND, my dad Mick was the definition of active. He was a long-distance and marathon runner, a surfer since his teenage years, and an adventurer who trekked some of the world’s most iconic trails.
Then in 2019, everything changed.
After first noticing weakness in one arm, followed by twitches and cramping, Dad was eventually diagnosed with Flail Arm MND. A disease that slowly takes away your ability to do the things most of us take for granted.
Seven years later, whilst Dad’s progression has been slow, no longer shower or dress himself. He can’t cut up his own food. His arms don’t work above his waist, and simple daily tasks now require help.
But here’s what MND hasn’t taken.
It hasn’t taken his determination.
It hasn’t taken his humour….or stubbornness.
It hasn’t taken his fight.
Dad still does Pilates twice a week. He still walks every day. He still gets out on his pedal kayak whenever he can. He still shows up and refuses to let this disease define him.
Thanks to a clinical trial he has been part of for over six years, his progression has been significantly slower than many others living with MND.
Dad often says that MND should be a notifiable disease. We still don’t truly know how many Australians are living with MND or how many families are losing loved ones to this cruel disease each year. We need better awareness, better support and ultimately a cure.
For seven years, Dad has stared this beast in the face and refused to back down.
I couldn’t be prouder to call him my dad.
This fight is for Mick. It’s for every family living with MND. It’s for every carer carrying the weight behind the scenes. And it’s for the day we can finally say we found a cure.
Until then, we keep fighting.
💙 Fight MND.
