In the fight against motor neurone disease, Melanie Tiffen hopes to recruit an army of foot soldiers at Bill Smyth Oval on Saturday.
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The Footy 2 Fight MND all-day carnival has the Narooma Lions up against the Merimbula Diggers for the season’s final round.
“All the money we raise is going to MND research; without the money there won’t be a cure,” Mrs Tiffen said.
“Sufferers end up as prisoners in their own bodies.”
Mrs Tiffen speaks from experience; her mother Lorna Ann Jamieson was diagnosed in March 2011.
“She went downhill pretty quick; from being able to walk, to being confined to the wheelchair in three months,” Mrs Tiffen said.
“Sufferers end up as prisoners in their own bodies.”
- Melanie Tiffen, daughter of motor neurone disease sufferer
“She lost the fight in March 2012, just 11 days short of 12 months. We don’t want other families to suffer what we went through.”
The disease can take hold quickly, and sufferers progressively lose control of their body.
“They can’t move, can’t talk, can’t swallow,” Mrs Tiffen said.
“We had to rub mum’s legs constantly to prevent bed sores, take her to the bathroom; shower, dress her.
“Mum lost speech half-way through. The last four or five months, she couldn’t talk to us. She would signal us, but then she couldn’t use her hands. She would communicate with her eyes.”
Lorna was at home for as long as possible and the family vowed to raise as much money as possible for the Fight MND Foundation.
The day Lorna was diagnosed, fundraising began; Mrs Tiffen’s brothers were sowing crops and profits from the paddock sown that day went to the foundation.
Lorna, a well-known cook, put out a recipe book and sold each for $20. Eight reprints later, she had raised $30,000 for the foundation. Mrs Tiffen’s dad commissioned 50 printed footy guernseys to raise awareness.
That would have pleased former Essendon player and one-time Melbourne Demons coach, Neale Daniher, who set up the foundation.
“He was diagnosed about the same time as mum,” Mrs Tiffen said.
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Saturday’s carnival has raffles, games, an oyster bar and the ice-slide challenge. Festivities will continue into the night at Narooma Golf Club with speakers, silent auctions, balloon raffles and music.
Community generosity has “overwhelmed” Mrs Tiffen: “The tally is over $11,500; I really hope people come on the day to support us.”
More information on the Footy 2 Fight MND FaceBook page.