Remembering Dr Ian Davis OAM: a drive to find a cure for MND
When Ian Davis was diagnosed with motor neurone disease (MND) at just 33, the shock hit like a tidal wave. A fit, healthy doctor with a sharp mind and compassionate heart, Ian understood better than most the weight of his diagnosis. He knew the science. He knew the trajectory. And in that moment, he knew life had changed forever.
But Ian didn’t just accept his fate. He fought for others to have a better one. Today, his fight continues through FightMND. You can keep Ian’s legacy alive by making a tax-deductible donation before 30 June.
A Cruel Diagnosis That Changed Everything
“He was doing a neurological exam on a patient,” his wife, Dr Melissa Yang recalls, “and he asked them to stand on their toes. Then he realised. He couldn’t do it himself.” It was the first sign something was wrong. Not long after, while walking the dogs, he noticed a limp. Within months, the devastating diagnosis came.
The early days were filled with grief and silence. Ian kept his diagnosis private, sharing it only with close family. Ian and Melissa rushed to marry within three months, not knowing how long he’d be able to walk. Few people at the wedding knew what was happening. “You’re grieving the future you thought you had,” she says. “It was possibly the hardest part of the whole journey.”
No one should have to endure this heartbreaking reality. Your donation could help fund life-changing research, because MND is relentless, but so is our fight against it.
Building a Movement That Matters
Determined to prevent others from enduring the same path, Ian channelled his energy into founding FightMND alongside Pat Cunningham and Neale Daniher. What began as a small, determined push has grown into one of the world’s largest independent funders of MND research.
Ian, Neale and Pat had three aims for FightMND. To Cure, to Care and to Make Aware.
Ian’s medical background gave him a unique perspective on the systemic gaps in MND research. He saw that most efforts were focused only on late-stage treatments, without understanding the disease’s full trajectory. He advocated for a more comprehensive funding model. A model that supports research across the entire research pipeline, from addressing the unknowns in MND to clinical trials. He worked to design a grants process rooted in rigour and integrity, ensuring every donation was maximised for impact. A process that is still in place today.
Ian never took a single donation for granted. “He knew it was mums and dads, kids, families giving what they could,” Mel explains. “He wanted to make sure every dollar counted.”
Every donation counted then, and every donation counts now. Donate today to fund world-leading research and care projects supporting Australians living with MND.
Friend, husband, dad, scientist, fighter
Despite the cruel toll of MND, Ian remained a source of energy, wit, and warmth. Charismatic and brilliant, he had a presence that filled every room. “He could inspire people to get on board with anything,” Melissa reflects. “Whether it was a party or a cause, he made you want to be part of it.”
His legacy lives on not only in the progress of FightMND but in the life of his son, Archie. Though Archie was only a toddler when Ian’s condition worsened, he carries strong memories of riding on his dad’s electric wheelchair to the park, laughing as they zipped along the footpath. “He was always around,” Melissa says. “Working from home before everyone else was doing it.”
Now in school, Archie is developing a keen love for science and a fierce loyalty to his AFL team, the Western Bulldogs. He’s also understanding the impact his dad had on the world. “He sees the Big Freeze slide on TV, the pictures and newspaper articles of Neale and, of course, the Beanies and he beams with pride knowing this is his dad’s legacy,” explains Melissa. “He understands now. He knows his dad helped start something that is helping thousands of people. And that means everything to him.”
A lasting legacy
If Ian were here today, Melissa believes he’d be astounded by how far things have come. From the awareness to the science to the groundswell of community support. “He’d be so proud of the foundation. So proud of Neale. So proud of Dr Bec Sheean and the work she’s done in the programs space. And he’d be amazed by how much Australians have got behind the fight.”
But Melissa knows he’d keep pushing. Keep fighting. Because despite all the progress, MND remains a devastating, terminal diagnosis.
“MND is not rare,” she says. “It’s just that people don’t live long with it, so it seems invisible. But it’s not. It’s cruel and lonely and heartbreaking, for everyone. That’s why the fight matters so much.”
And at the heart of that fight, fuelled by science, by community and by love, remains the legacy of Ian Davis. A man who turned personal tragedy into collective purpose. A trailblazer in life, in research and in hope.
Donate by 30 June – EOFY
Dr Ian Davis didn’t just fight MND. He helped create and lead a movement. As co-founder of FightMND, his vision was to drive cutting-edge research and give hope to the thousands living with this devastating disease.
You can help continue Ian’s life’s work. When you make a tax-deductible donation before 30 June, you’re helping fund the kind of research Ian believed in. Science that could one day lead to a cure.
By making a donation before the EOFY, you’re not just showing your support. You’re making a real impact. Every tax-deductible donation helps fund world-leading researchers working to unlock the mysteries of MND.
Research into MND is time consuming, expensive and urgent. But with your help, we can keep fighting.