By Jonty Ralphsmith
Pakenham United Soccer Club is hosting a Motor Neurone Disease (MND) Charity Day this Sunday 23 July at IYU Reserve.
A family member of a club-person has been diagnosed with the disease which has an average life expectancy of two to three years.
There will be a dunk tank with each of the United coaches volunteering to be dunked, with each throw raising money to go towards MND.
The dunk tank concept is a spin-off of the Big Freeze event which occurs at the Melbourne v Collingwood King’s Birthday AFL match each year.
There will also be a raffle and other fundraising activities.
“Every year we have enjoyed buying the beanies to support MND but this year there’s a completely different slant on it,” said the club-person closest to the diagnosed.
“It just changes your life.
“We noticed how quick it affects people.
“We’ve been listening to voice messages from her.
“She’s struggling to put two or three words together; she’s really struggling to speak.
“Her hands are struggling as well.
“It has really come on so quickly, it’s amazing how quickly it can attack the body.”
The victim’s husband passed away in December, with her initial struggles attributed to associated stress, before she was diagnosed in May.
The charity day will start at 10am.
