IMNDA calls on Kildare communities to ‘Walk While you Can’ this October

The Irish Motor Neurone Disease Association (IMNDA) is calling on all communities to get involved in 5k fundraising walk this month.

The IMNDA has announced the return of its ‘Walk While You Can’ campaign, which will take place on Saturday 21 October.

With more than 450 people in Ireland currently living with Motor Neurone Disease, the charity is encouraging as many people as possible to take part in a 5k walk in their local communities on or around 21 October and help raise funds to build on the vital services provided by the organisation. Walk While You Can first originated in 2018 when Fr. Tony Coote, well known priest, campaigner and latterly author, undertook an extraordinary walk from Donegal to Cork – some 550 kilometres, and raised €700,000 for Motor Neurone Disease in the process.

Out of these funds raised, the IMNDA was able to hire a much needed fourth outreach nurse at the time to care for and support people living with Motor Neurone Disease in Ireland. This allowed IMNDA’s nursing team to reach more people in the community more often.

The outreach nursing service, which now has six nurses provided by the IMNDA, helps over 450 people and families spread across 26 counties. This is the only service of its kind in the country, and it is funded entirely from public donations.

The IMNDA is calling on all communities across Ireland to get walking this October, whether going solo or joining family, friends or neighbours to continue what Fr Tony started six years ago. You can register your event online by simply visiting www.imnda.ie

MND is often referred to as the 1,000-day disease as most people die within 1,000 days of first symptoms.