Footy legends, Olympic stars ready to take part in Big Freeze 5

Footy legends and Australian Olympic stars are finetuning their preparations as they count down to their slide into icy waters at Monday’s Big Freeze 5 to support Neale Daniher and his fight against motor neurone disease.

Thousands of footy fans will throw their support behind one of the game’s greatest causes and the inspiring man behind it on Monday.

VFL/AFL legend Neale Daniher will join Melbourne and Collingwood members for a walk from Federation Square to the MCG before Big Freeze 5.

Fourteen of Aussie sport’s biggest names will take an icy dip for the FightMND spectacle, which has raised millions for research into a cure for motor neurone disease.

Footy legends to take the slide will include Cyril Rioli, Sam Mitchell, Dane Swan, Nick Riewoldt and Bob Murphy. Olympic cycling champion Anna Meares and basketballer Lauren Jackson will also take the plunge.

Neale Daniher with Brent Harvey and Sam Mitchell ahead of the Big Freeze 5. Picture: Sarah Matray

Mitchell said yesterday he was honoured to take part.

“A hatred of cold water is a small price to pay to show my commitment to help fight the beast that is MND,” he said.

“The energy that Neale has brought to the formerly little known disease has led the way for charity work for the past five years and is shining a light for those who have a passion to make a difference.”

FightMND chief executive Jamie Howden said the campaign offered hope.

“We have clung to our core objective of raising as much funding as we can to beat this beast of a disease while offering a lot of light and fun and colour,” he said.

But he credited Daniher as being the linchpin of the charity, which has donated $28 million to research, resulting in nine drug-development projects, two of which are in the human trial phase.

Flinders St Station has been lit up in blue to support FightMND. Picture: Wayne Taylor

Seven other clinical trials have also been backed, which FightMND research manager Dr Rebecca Sheean said were revolutionising opportunities for future patients.

“(At the time) Neale and Ian Davis were diagnosed, a lot of patients were told to get their affairs in order and spend time with their family, go on a holiday — there just wasn’t really any hope,” she said.

“But now if a patient gets diagnosed and there are trials in their state or they have access to an MND clinic that is running trials, they have an opportunity to participate.”

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Daniher, who was diagnosed with MND five years ago, co-founded the charity with the late Dr Ian Davis and Pat Cunningham.

Last year he said he would step aside for this year’s campaign to focus on his own health fight but has astounded family and friends with his determination.

“Neale continues to inspire me and so many others every single day,” Mr Howden said.

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