Delia McKay from Rakaia had been unwell for ages. After two serious falls, the doctor diagnosed her with Motor Neuron Disease.
It was June 2023. She died one year later, at the age of 55.
MND is a terminal neurological disease that progressively takes away a person’s ability to walk, talk, feed themselves, swallow, and ultimately breathe.
Delia’s daughter, Donna McKay, is organising a Walk to Defeat MND event, at Rakaia this Saturday. Other events are taking place around New Zealand to raise funds and awareness.
Donna said her mother, on receiving the news of her illness, wanted to return once more to her home country of Fiji, to say goodbye to family.
‘‘We had just two weeks to organise everything and MND people in Christchurch were wonderful. They were so helpful and enabled Mum to go home one last time. Mum made many trips home over the 15 years she and dad lived in New Zealand,’’ McKay said.
Her gratitude for the support had inspired her to want to organise the walk.
‘‘We want to create a fun family party feel at the walk so we have entertainment, a food cart, music, games for adults and children. There will be balloons and wrist bands and packets of blue cornflower seeds – the MND symbol,’’ McKay said.
Family support enabled Delia to remain at home until the last few days of her life. ‘‘Mum was such a giver, always helping others so I know Mum would approve of the walk,’’ McKay said.
MND is one of the world’s most common neurodegenerative disorders, after Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s disease. There are about 400 people with MND at any given time across New Zealand.
MND New Zealand aims to provide support, care and advocacy to every person affected.
In New Zealand, about 144 people are diagnosed with MND every year. Internationally, the incidence of the disease is much lower.
The aggressive and relentlessly progressive disease can affect adults at any age, but most people diagnosed with the condition are over the age of 40.
The highest incidence is between the ages of 50 and 70. As muscles waste away, the mind remains intact in most cases.
About 50 per cent of people die within the first 30 months of symptom onset, and only about 20 per cent survive longer than five years.
– The Walk to Defeat MND will be at the Rakaia Rugby Old Clubrooms on Saturday. Registration and check in open from 9am. The 3.5 km walk begins at 10.30am. It is powerchair and pram friendly, well-behaved dogs are welcome on leads. Registration 16 years and over costs $20, children $10, dogs $5, under 2s, those with a disability or MND free.
