Australia

Fisk runs for MND

Nyngans James Fisk will be travelling to Melbourne to run 20 kilometres in charity event Run Melbourne to raise money for Fight MND (Motor Neurone Disease).

Mr Fisk has set a goal of $2000 to be one of 20 charity champion runners in the event on Sunday, July 29, which goes towards research in finding a cure for MND, a cause close to his heart.

Last year after battling for 18 months Mr Fisks grandfather Harold Clissold passed away from Motor Neurone Disease; a progressive terminal neurological disease that destroys and breaks down the nerve cells (neurones) that control the muscles that allow us to move, speak, swallow and breath.

After moving to Nyngan early last year and living with his grandparents, Mr Fisk saw first hand the effects of this disease.

“I lived with him for about six months of that time and I basically got the full experience of it,” Mr Fisk said.

“I first hand saw what it does to people and how it breaks them down so thats why I want to do something about it.”

This July Mr Fisk will be running 20 kilometres in Melbournes charity run and in preparation for the event he plans to step up the training.

“It should be pretty tough, it's a bit different to footy,” he said.

“Ive run 20 kilometres a few times, but it wasnt recently so I think I will have to start ramping up the training and kilometres.”

Mr Fisk is also hoping to raise a stronger awareness about the disease, which he admits to knowing very little about prior to his grandfathers diagnosis.

“I had never heard about it before my grandfather was diagnosed either, and I'm sure a lot of people are like that.”

“After he was diagnosed I did a bit of research on it and found out how it is not real common … its actually more common for younger people, but the older people get it, the faster it makes you deteriorate, and it happened really fast for Pa, its an awful disease.”

Fight MND aims to raise the profile of MND within Australia in the hopes that increased awareness may lead to better care for those affected by the disease and increased funding for research into finding a cure.

During this years Run Melbourne, Fight MND is hoping to raise $200,000 to fund four full-time MND researchers to work through the pre-clinical development of promising potential therapy for MND.

To further help raise money Mr Fisk will be raffling off a load of wood at next weeks Tigers home game against Macquarie.

Mr Fisk said he was amazed not only by the communities support, but the support of people who knew his grandfather.

“Thanks for everyones support. Theres a lot of local people and some I dont know at all which is awesome for people to get behind. A few people I saw from comments had known Pa so its amazing.”

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Nyngan Observer

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