By Gabriella Payne
People from across Cardinia will be lacing up their shoes and going on a walk with purpose this weekend, as hundreds of residents are expected to come down to Pakenham Lakeside to raise much needed funds and awareness into Motor Neuron Disease (MND).
Starting at 10.30am on Sunday 2 May, Pakenham’s ‘Walk to D’feet MND’ is set to be one of the largest MND fundraising events this side of Melbourne and will feature musical performances in the amphitheatre, a few speeches and a BBQ afterwards for participants to enjoy.
Joanne Staindl, one of the organisers of the event, said that it was exciting to be hosting one of the first in person fundraisers for MND since Covid, for a cause that was very close to her heart.
“We’re pretty excited – it’s going to be a big event,” Ms Staindl said.
“Our family has been strongly touched by motor neuron disease.
My father passed away in 1992 of Motor Neuron, he survived just eight and a half months from diagnosis to death, and then my brother was diagnosed and passed away at the age of 59,” she said.
Ms Staindl’s brother Gavin, who only passed away from Motor Neuron Disease last year during Covid, was at the last ‘Walk to D’feet MND’ held at Pakenham Lakeside in 2019, where he led everyone off around the lake.
Ms Staindl said since then, it had been heartbreaking to watch her brother go downhill rapidly as he had been like a “best friend” to her.
“By the time he died he couldn’t walk, couldn’t talk, couldn’t eat, couldn’t do anything – where before, he had been a coach driver, driving people all around Australia and playing soccer and playing floorball and running and doing all of that,” Ms Staindl said.
She said that to see her brother deteriorate to the point where he “couldn’t even stand” had been devastating, and Ms Staindl hoped that Sunday’s walk would help raise much needed funds so that this wouldn’t continue happening to other families.
“None of us want people to keep getting Motor Neuron, so it’s about raising awareness and continuing to support Motor Neuron Victoria, as they support people with MND and their families – and to help raise funds into research too,” she said.
On Sunday, Ms Staindl and her family, including her sister Sonya and son Gavin would be paying tribute to her late brother as they made their way around the lake.
After registrations, Ms Staindl said there would be performances and speeches before the walk kicked off at 12 o’clock, with a smaller lap around the amphitheatre for people of all abilities first, followed by a longer lap around the lake after.
“What we’re hoping is that people will come dressed in bright colours, and what you end up with is this lovely ribbon of people wrapping around the lake,” Ms Staindl said.
Everyone is encouraged to come along to the event on Sunday 2 May, and Ms Staindl said that even the weather would be putting on a good show for the day.
For more information, visit https://www.mnd.org.au/events/11/semelb-walk-2021
