When the time came, you put your body on the line for the team.
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That was Neale Daniher’s philosophy in his time as captain of Essendon Football Club.
Now, his cousin Brian Daniher is doing just that.
The Manar resident will be riding from Ungarie in Central NSW to Melbourne in March, to raise money to fight Motor Neurone Disease.
All up, the ride will be 700 kilometres long.
Neale’s sentiment stands true for Brian.
“What Neale’s been able to achieve under extreme trying circumstances is just amazing for him,” he said.
“To be struck down with such a hideous disease and having the strength to do something about it.
“I’m just picking up on that, it’s my turn to go, and if I can contribute in my own small way, every little bit helps.”
The ‘Fight MND’ cause was established by Neale after he was diagnosed with the disease in 2013.
It is a non-for-profit organisation dedicated to raising awareness of, and funding research into Motor Neurone Disease.
MND refers to a group of diseases in which nerve cells that control the muscles begin to fail. Muscles weaken and waste away as a result of this, causing sufferers to gradually lose control of their ability to walk, speak, swallow and breathe.
As the Daniher family’s place of origin, Ungarie was the obvious starting point for the ride.
Melbourne was a symbolic end point, as where Neale’s football career took him.
In an interesting twist, the ride will in some ways also be retracing the steps of early members of the Daniher family.
Just over 100 years ago, Neale and Brian’s grandfather James Daniher and his brother Jack rode bikes from Euroa, in Victoria, to Ungarie to claim what is now the family farm.
A keen rider for a few years now, Brian has been training hard. In the past he has completed several 100 kilometre plus rides, but none that have required him to ride day, after day, after day.
“I think that’s going to be a challenge, the endurance, even though the roads we’re riding are going to be relatively flat,” he said.
Brian is pleased to have now raised around $2,000 for research into MND. He is hoping he can reach $3,000 before setting off.
- Brian Daniher will be riding from Ungarie to Melbourne between from March 11-18, to sponsor him visit: support-fightmnd.everydayhero.com/au/brian-32