Community
24 October, 2024
For those we lost
A TEAM running in memory of those they lost to a rare neurological disease arrived back home in Terang on Friday after more than 900 kilometres travelled and $37,000 raised.
The group of 12 south west Victorians taking part in the 2024 Run For CJD cause last week had set off from Adelaide before travelling through Blanchetown, Renmark, Mildura, Hopetoun, Horsham and Hamilton before arriving in Terang on Friday afternoon
This is the second Run for CJD event, which is held to raise awareness of Creutzfeldt–Jakob disease (CJD), a rare and incurable disease which causes the brain to degenerate, leading to dementia and death.
Last year’s run raised more than $100,000 for CJD research, and this year has added another $37,000 at the time of publication.
Terang’s Chris O’Connor, who was part of the Run For CJD team, said it had been a “big week” for both the cause and the tired legs of the runners.
“It’s a really good amount we’ve raised, and hopefully the government can get hold of a little bit to throw it,” he said.
“It all makes such a big difference to the institutes which support the cause.
“Because it’s such a rapidly-progressing disease, it all happens in such a quick point of time – it’s quite hard when the process of diagnosis to death is so sudden.
“But it’s all about recognition – even if doctors and nurses can pick up on the early signs, it can be one of the things they think of and can predict it sooner than what might have been thought.”
Run For CJD organiser Matty Stewart said the overall experience had been fantastic.
“It’s been amazing to see the buy-in everywhere we’ve gone,” he said.
“People have been asking about the disease or sharing their stories.
“It’s been a really awesome experience.”
Mr Stewart said awareness had been at the forefront of the run this year, with stops in towns along the trail to strike up a conversation and make more people aware of the rare disease.
“It’s probably the most important thing to have so many people in every community we pass through asking about CJD,” he said.
“Being able to raise money is great, and the support is fantastic, but to have people talking about CJD is what this is all about.
“We’re trying to get the disease front and centre, and hopefully we can secure some government funding.”
Mr Stewart said the decision was made to finish the run from Noorat to Terang this year after receiving such an overwhelming show of support from the community since the initiative was launched.
“The support everywhere we’ve gone has been quite unbelievable, but we wanted to finish in Terang this year,” he said.
“From the Kenna family having such a close connection to the disease, to the support we’ve had from the community in the form of fundraising through golf days, and the support we’ve had Crawley’s Middle Hotel - Terang has been enormous.
“We thought it was only fitting we’d finish in Terang.”
Every runner taking part in the charity relay run has a personal connection to CJD.
Among the team was Wannon MP Dan Tehan, who was running in honour of his mother.
“Everyone has got on like a house on fire,” he said.
“We’ve raised some great awareness of CJD, some really good money and we’ve built on the momentum from last year.
“We couldn’t be happier as a group – it’s been absolutely fantastic.”
Mr Tehan said a highlight had been meeting a woman while running along the Murray River, who had lost a close friend to CJD only a few weeks prior.
“Those are the sort of things that drive you on when the legs are getting tired,” he said.
During the celebration dinner on Friday night, Mr Tehan announced the Coalition, if elected at next year’s federal election, will commit $265,000 to further CJD research.
“That’s coming out of the momentum we’ve built the last two years, so that’s some really great news,” he said.
“It’s fantastic and a credit to the team.
“It’s very humbling to be able to announce that, and keep the momentum we’ve built going.”
The runners were greeted in Noorat by at least a dozen community members joining them for the final 5.92 kilometre run home to Terang, in addition to a sizeable crowd braving the elements to await their arrival outside the Terang Co-Op SUPA IGA.
“What a great community,” Mr Tehan said.
“Terang is just one of those great country communities which are all about volunteering and giving.
“To have so many people out to welcome us back brought a tear to my eye, and I said to Matty that all those we’re running in memory of will be looking down on us smiling.
“It’s something that is just special.”
To donate toward the Run for CJD cause visit https://www.cjdsupport.org.au/run-4-cjd-2024.
Mr Stewart thanked all those who had donated, and said he hoped the fundraiser could reach around $50,000.
“Every dollar counts, so there’s a bit going on and we’re hopeful we’ll be pushing $50,000 when it’s all said and done,” he said.