Neale Daniher’s Drive in bid to find cure for MND

NEALE Daniher’s Fight MND roadshow will today cross state borders with his crusade of courage moving from Victoria to South Australia, having almost reached its fundraising target on day one.

NEALE Daniher’s Fight MND roadshow will today cross state borders with his crusade of courage moving from Victoria to South Australia.

The Daniher Drive left Horsham this morning and will visit Nhill, Penola and Aspley before crossing into South Australia and spending the night in Mt Gambier.

After just one day of the four day convoy to raise funds and awareness of the deadly disease, the Daniher Drive has raised $2.2 million of its $2.5 million target.

NEALE DANIHER FOCUSES ON HIS OWN BATTLE

DANIHER SAYS THANKS AFTER BIG FREEZE

TAKING THE MND MESSAGE TO THE COUNTRY

Over four years it has now raised more than $7 million to fund MND research.

Daniher’s Fight MND roadshow crossed through regional Victorian towns to spread his inspirational message of hope and determination.

Hundreds of volunteers left Melbourne’s Government House on Thursday on a four-day mission to raise money and awareness of the deadly disease the footy great is fighting.

The Daniher Drive leaves Government House.

Neale Daniher before the big event.

Almost 400 happy Daniher’s Drive devotees in about 100 cars visited Woodend, Daylesford, Stawell and Horsham in a convoy of tin rattling goodwill and merriment.

They are crossing the border into South Australia before returning to country Victoria.

The inspirational Essendon great and former Melbourne coach said townsfolk from Melbourne to Mt Gambier and back would see his mob coming “from 30km away”.

“I’ve been overwhelmed with the support of the community,” he said.

“I think they get it - people are dying.

Neale Daniher with his wife, Jan, and daughter Bec. Picture: Aaron Francis

FightMND campaign co-ordinator Lauren McKellar, with Neale Daniher’s wife Jan and daughter Bec, packed and ready to roll in the Daniher Drive. Picture: David Caird

Neale Daniher sends off the drivers.

“With Motor Neurone Disease it’s really a death sentence and it’s simple - we need funding to help our researchers find a treatment.

“And we will find it, never quick enough for me, but we’ve got tremendous support.”

This year’s Daniher Drive - the fourth - is the biggest yet.

“Not bad for 100 cars and 100 teams but they get great support out in the community,” he said.

Everything from fancy sports cars to buses and former funeral vehicles are taking part in this year’s Drive.

Harness racing executive Alan Lister drove a trots mobile starting gate vehicle from Mildura to Melbourne just to take part in the convoy, in honour of a mate’s dad who died from MND 20 years ago.

“We brought it down just to be different,” he said.

“We came down via Swan Hill, did 600km just to get to Melbourne but we’re having a ball.”

Former star Demons forward David Neitz said Daniher managed to “put some fun in fundraising”.

“He’s been amazing for this cause, the awareness for people around Australia who are suffering and have been touched by the disease,” he said.

“So what he provides I think is so much hope for the future and a lot of support and care for the families that are really suffering.”

The convoy leaves Government House. Picture: Nicole Garmston

Premier Daniel Andrews pledged $400,000 to the cause on behalf of Victorians.

“He is a great inspiration to every single Victorian,” he said.

“No one would have held it against Neale Daniher if, when he got his diagnosis, he decided to spend this last part of his life with family and friends doing things that were all about him.

“But instead he has turned over these precious weeks, months and years to raising money and raising awareness.”

Two people a day are diagnosed and die from MND in Australia.

Victorian Governor Linda Dessau said Daniher was a true hero.

“The whole of Victoria, the whole of Australia and really the whole of the world has so much to thank Neale for because he has put himself to the fore in this fight against MND,” she said.

“And we can all be very, very grateful he has built something sustainable.

“This Drive is just part of it and through this drive we are going to be raising money and making sure that we raise awareness so that our brilliant scientists can find a cure.”

To donate: fightmnd.org.au/events/2018-danihers-drive

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