To cure, to care,
to make aware.
Adena's story
Adena's Christmas appeal
In September 2018, Adena Savva was diagnosed with MND.
She is 35. Her children are young and they don’t understand why their Mummy is not well and not getting any better.
For Adena and her family, this Christmas is very different, and more challenging, than this time last year.
She has written a letter to the FightMND Army about her story, asking for our supporters to consider giving a gift to our Christmas Appeal.
What are we fighting for?
We are fighting to beat 'The Beast'
We want a world without Motor Neurone Disease (MND) and it takes an army of people to help achieve this – and we have the FightMND Army on our side.
Our core aims are to generate greater awareness of the disease, to fund world-class research and drug trials to find an effective treatment and ultimately a cure for Motor Neurone Disease and provide assistive care equipment to many Australians fighting the disease.
There is no known cause, limited knowledge of the natural course of the disease, there is no effective treatment and there is no cure.
We call it ‘The Beast’. This is why we fight.
$37.6m
Committed to MND research projects
$13.44m
10 Clinical Trials funded
$9.73m
10 drug development projects funded
$4.5m
World-first drug screening platform
$2.8m
Other research grants & initiatives
$2.14m
Sporadic ALS Australian - Genomics Consortium
$2m
Precision Medicine Program
$1.74
IMPACT research grants
$1.3m
Research fellowships and scholarships
87c
In every dollar raised committed to research projects & care initiatives
Register today & start fundraising
Join Team FightMND for Run Melbourne today
Registrations for Run Melbourne are now open so join up, and then join us.
You can start fundraising for Team FightMND straight away by setting up a fundraising page and get those donations rolling in.
Team FightMND raised $255,000 in 2019, taking our three-year total to over $1M making us the highest fundraising team in Run Melbourne history.
Each year, runners don FightMND singlets, caps and visors and represent us through the streets of the city of Melbourne while raising vital funds to find effective treatments and a cure for MND.
You can run, walk or roll your way to the finish line after 5km, 10km or 21.1km.
Get involved today, start fundraising and we’ll see you at the starting line.
A true pioneer
Remembering Ian Davis
November 1 marks the one-year anniversary of the passing of FightMND co-founder Ian Davis from Motor Neurone Disease.
Ian will forever be remembered for his courageous battle with ‘The Beast’ and for the indelible impact he had on progressing MND research in Australia and globally.
FightMND Research Director, Dr. Bec Sheean shares her memories of Ian, of his legacy and of their friendship below. Bec was joined by colleagues and friends of Ian who have also offered testimonials to a man who made a significant contribution.
Record-breaking Daniher's Drive
The 2019 Daniher’s Drive has broken all fundraising records with an incredible total of $3.1 million being raised over the 4-day event.
This year’s tally takes the total raised to $10.7 million over the 5 years the iconic event has been staged.
With 320 participants across 85 teams fundraising for the past 12 months, the record-breaking effort is a boon for the fight against MND.
Monies raised will be directed the the best medical MND researchers as the quest to find effective treatments and a cure for the insidious disease continues.
Thankyou to everyone involved in achieving this amazing result.
Major car raffle winner
Congratulations to Mr. John Gilbert (ticket number: 3873) on winning the 2019 Daniher’s Drive Major Car Raffle.
John is now the new owner of a brand new Mercedes Benz X-Class PURE X220d 4Matic
The winning ticket was drawn by Kayne Theodossi from Nick Theodossi Prestige Cars.
FightMND extends its thanks to Nick Theodossi for his continued support of FightMND and Daniher’s Drive as the major partner of the raffle.
Thanks also to all that supported the raffle by purchasing tickets this year. You contribution will make an impact in the pursuit of finding a cure for MND.
Victorian State Government pledge $1m to FightMND
Just minutes before the 5th Daniher’s Drive took to the Victorian highways, the Premier of Victoria, Hon. Daniel Andrews made a significant announcement that was met with rapturous applause from the 320 participants.
The iconic Werribee Zoo was the backdrop for the announcement that the Andrews Victorian Government will commit a further $1 million to the fight against MND.
Announced in the company of FightMND co-founder and patron, Neale Daniher. who led the large convoy off, the generous contribution to fight ‘The Beast’ takes the overall Victorian Government’s financial support to an amazing $5 million.
These funds will be quickly turned to the hands of the best and brightest researchers as they continue their work to discover effective treatments and a cure for MND.
From all at FightMND, thanks to the Victorian State Government for their immense generosity.
2019 Daniher's Drive - A review
Watch and enjoy all the colour, fun and excitement of the 2019 Dainer's Drive as it weaved its way throughout regional Victoria over 4-days in October.
2020 Daniher's Drive - expression of interest
In 2020, FightMND will stage its 6th annual Daniher’s Drive and we want you to come along for the drive.
Daniher’s Drive is FightMND second largest fundraiser each year and is a 4-day road-trip filled with great fun, hospitality & entertainment while raising awareness and vital funds for more world-leading research to find a cure for MND.
We encourage you to express interest in next year’s event below and someone from the FightMND team will be in touch.
Research funding
FightMND invests another $9m into MND research
FightMND is excited to announce a major funding commitment to advance research into Motor Neurone Disease as the fight to find effective treatments and a cure for the disease continues.
This announcement represents FightMND’s ongoing commitment to MND research with $9 million being injected into world-leading research across 15 separate research projects, led by some of Australia’s best nd brightest researchers.
This investment takes the total amount of funds invested by FightMND to $37.6 million since 2014.
Blackmores Sydney Running Festival
Turning pain into purpose
Phil Camden has had MND for almost seven years and was the mastermind behind the Newcastle Big Freeze, which has raised $350,000 for FightMND.
Phil’s daughters Jess & Bec are running for Team FightMND in the Blackmores Sydney Running Festival on September 15.
Jess has shared the story of her father’s MND diagnosis, the journey through his illness, their dreams of one day finding a cure for MND and why the sisters are running for Team FightMND.
Big Freeze 5
Big Freeze 5 at the MCG makes a splash
The fifth annual Big Freeze at the MCG provided more fun, more spills and more lasting memories than ever before.
Retired sporting champions from AFL, cycling, netball and basketball plunged into the icy depths of the Big Freeze 5 ice bath to raise awareness about MND and important funds to fight ‘The Beast’.
St. Kilda great Nick Riewoldt stole the stage as Queen’s Freddy Mercury while Bob Murphy, Anna Meares, Dane Swan, Chris Judd, Lauren Jackson, Brent Harvey, Bianca Chatfield, Sam Mitchell, Liam Picken, Jimmy Bartel, Brendan Fevola, Jobe Watson & Cyril Rioli didn’t disappoint with their costumes as they took to the famous slide.
Over $5 million was raised during the Big Freeze 5 campaign thanks to the extraordinary support and contribution by the Australian public who bought beanies and generously donated to the fight.
FightMND has committed $28.8 million to MND medical research and will be announcing more research project funding in September.
Coles partnership
Coles & pork farmers raise $520,000 for FightMND
For the second consecutive year, Coles and its pork producers have joined the fight against MND and together in 2019 raised $520,000 following a national fresh pork sales campaign.
Coles donated 10 cents from the sale of all fresh pork products sold in over 800 supermarkets nationally to help fund more vital research into the disease.
As a result of the incredibly successful campaign, Coles are the largest corporate donor to FightMND.
Thanks to Coles and our Aussie pork farmers
Socking it to MND
SockIt2MND raises over $200,000
With over 200 sporting associations and clubs nation-wide taking part in the 2019 SockIt2MND campaign, FightMND is thrilled to announce a staggering $223,710 was raised from the sale of socks alone.
Football, netball, soccer & basketball clubs and associations – to name just a few – participating in junior and senior competitions purchased the now popular blue socks, displaying the Big Freeze 5 logo, and wore them in matches on our dedicated SockIt2MND Round on June 15 & 16 this year.
FightMND thanks all participants for getting involved, supporting the fight against MND and making the 2019 SockIt2MND campaign our most successful one so far.
Funding announcement
Federal Government commit $5m to FightMND
The Federal Government has announced a commitment of $5 million to FightMND and the fight against Motor Neurone Disease. The funds from the Government will be invested into further vital research projects as we continue to try to combat ‘The Beast’.
The fight against MND needs you
FightMND - It Takes People.
We have a wonderful FightMND army supporting us and need more to join the army. Our work has just begun, we haven't found an effective treatment or cure as yet.
This is why we fight!
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Join the fight against MND.
Visit our online shop to browse and purchase some of our FightMND apparel, and in doing so, you are continuing to help our fundraising efforts.
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