Manly United Unite in fight against MND

The Manly United players and community will unite on the weekend of June 19th and 20th when teams will take to the pitch wearing Sockit2MND socks to raise money and awareness to finding a cure for Motor Neurone Disease (MND).

There are diseases and then there are horrid diseases. Motor Neurone Disease easily sits into the latter category.

MND attacks the nerve cells (neurones) that control our muscles. It’s a horrible and debilitating disease which gradually takes away a patient’s use of their arms and legs, their ability to eat and swallow, their speech and ultimately their ability to breathe. All in an average timeframe of just 27 months.

There is currently no truly effective treatment and no known cure.

So no argument – it’s a horrid disease, MND.

But as we do with all horrid diseases, we fight. And we care and we love and we hope. We do our best – and we stand together.

And know this: the fight against MND is on for young and old.

Manly United has been touched a number of times in recent years and will play its part on the weekend of June 19 and 20 by taking part in the Sockti2MND fundraiser. Players will turn out in socks they’ve purchased for $15 from the FightMND website.

Through the purchase of the socks alone, Manly United players and families have raised $6,200 for FightMND, the Australian charity that channels funds directly to research.

“It’s a terrible disease that has directly affected our club twice in consecutive years and every little bit we can contribute will help,” said Manly United CEO David Mason.

“When it strikes close to home as it did last year and has again, it makes you reflect on the strength of our club and the sense of community that everyone feels. Our players and teams will take to the field wearing the Sockit2MND socks as a sign of unity for our families struggling but also to raise awareness for what is a horrid disease.”

Last year, it struck close to home when 12-year-old Sebastian Jolly, a member of the Manly United SAP team, sadly lost his dad Graeme to the disease.

The community rallied and Manly United organised a dedicated game day at Cromer Park to support Sebastian, brother Conrad, sister Genevieve and mum Isabella, who ran a half-marathon with a goal to raise $5000 for MND NSW. She would raise $25,000 as the community wrapped its arms the Jolly family because of care, love and hope – and fight.

-Manly United Press Release