Pakenham MP Emma Vulin has thanked everyone for the outpouring of support after announcing her diagnosis with motor neuron disease and has jumped straight back into representing the community despite the devastating news.
Vulin made the announcement on Sunday 14 April which received heartfelt support from all over the State.
“I want to say a thank you to everyone that has reached out, it’s really been amazing,” she said.
“I have had people reach out from all over, people with a family member who has MND, people who have it, Neale Daniher has reached out.
“I’m sincerely grateful, it’s helped our family a lot through this.”
The news was still raw for the family as it was announced on Sunday having only confirmed the diagnosis on the Thursday prior.
But her two children prompted her to go public on the Sunday, prioritising their need to express the news freely to their friends once school returned the following day.
Vulin herself barely took a break, after all the support given she was quickly out and about again in the community.
This Sunday she joined the Minister for Transport Infrastructure Danny Pearson to announce the opening of Pakenham’s two new stations in two months.
“I had a couple of days of tears, but I just thought I should get back to it, the more you get to work the less you think about it,” Vulin said.
“I’m privileged to serve this community, I want to continue on and will do so.”
Her doctors caught the disease early, the plan now is to persevere on.
“It’s too early to tell, I can’t look to the future because the disease progresses differently for everyone,” Vulin said.
“I guess if things change with my body then we will confront that if it does come up.”
She is thankful, but also wants to emphasise that she unfortunately is one of many.
“It’s not the news anyone wants, but I am not the only person going through it,” Vulin said.
“511 people are living with MND in Victoria right now and that’s 511 families going through it.”
Everyday in Australia, two people are diagnosed with MND and two people die from the disease.
If you wish to learn more about MND or support research into combating the disease, go to mndaustralia.org.au
