Hundreds of people flocked to Bunton Park early on Sunday to support two of their own doing it tough and to raise money to Fight MND at the Salty and PK’s shuffle.
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Peter ‘PK’ Kent, who was diagnosed with Motor Neurone Disease in 2017, thanked the crowd for coming out and supporting him and Allen ‘Salty’ Ross, who also has MND.
“It’s great to see people getting out of bed on Sunday morning to come down,” he said.
While Salty said Steve Martini, who formed the Salty and PK’s Shuffle committee to organise the event, deserved a special thank you.
Salty and Mr Martini have know each other for decades, and Mr Martini said when his friend was diagnosed with the cruel disease is was heartbreaking – so he wanted to do something to raise money for a cure.
Albury City Councillor David Thurley said unfortunately many people in the community know someone battling the ‘beast’, as MND is known.
He said his brother-in-law died after being diagnosed with MND about nine years ago and since then he has raised money for a cure.
“This is something close to me,” he said.
“It’s a terrible thing and most of us know someone who has it.
“All I can say is Neale Daniher is an absolute fighter.
“He started the fundraising efforts but it’s people like you that will carry it on.”
Cr Thurley said while there was no cure for MND, there was hope with more and more money going to clinical trials and research.
“The support of people like you means so much,” he told those gathered.
“Especially to these guys.
“It’s all we can do at this stage.”
Together the hundreds of attendees walked, jogged or shuffled, around Bunton Park for 25 laps, covering 10 kilometres.
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While Salty and PK were not up to completely the 25 laps themselves, many were willing to do so in their honour, high fiving them as they passed.
The event also features ice bucket challenges, a jumping castle and raffles, while Lauren Jackson blew the horn to start the shuffle.
Later, Australian film The Merger will screen.
Anna Skilton of Fight MND said it was heartening to see the community come together to support PK and Salty.
“Sadly MND is terminal and it could strike anyone,” she said. “We like to say it’s not incurable, it’s just underfunded.
“Without you, we can’t fund a cure.”
Salty said finding a cure for future people diagnosed with MND and raising the disease’s profile locally to encourage donations was what the day was all about.
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