Rodeo Raffle Raises Valuable Funds

Image 1: Phillip (middle) was diagnosed with Motor Neurone Disease last year

Image 2: A raffle and auction were held at the Gargett Rodeo to raise funds for FightMND. Photo supplied

The Gargett community gathered for their annual rodeo recently, but it was the half time entertainment that stole the show.

Emily Mastropaolo held a raffle and auction at the rodeo, raising funds and awareness for Motor Neurone Disease, a cause close to their hearts since their brother Phillip was diagnosed last November.

“We’d never heard of it, so we wanted to start fundraising to spread awareness and fundraise to find a cure or at least a treatment,” said Emily.

With the help of generous businesses around Mackay, Emily and her family gathered raffle prizes and auction items for the Gargett Rodeo, raising almost $30,000 for Australia's leading MND foundation, FightMND.

Emily says Phillip was a confident and articulate man, so his family found it unusual when he started slurring.

“He was a very well-spoken man,” she said.

“He just started slurring and my mum was like, ‘You should go see somebody.’”

Phillip was diagnosed with MND which is the name given to a group of diseases in which the nerve cells, or neurones, controlling your muscles fail to work normally and eventually die.

“It affects the way you walk, the way you talk, the way you breathe, it affects your muscles,” said Emily.

“It’s just your body just slowly failing.

“We’re very lucky – (Phillip) hasn’t lost his voice but it’s getting very hard to understand him – but he’s still physically fine, he can still walk, use all his muscles, it’s just his speech.”

Emily started selling raffle tickets as early as June, aiming to raise $10,000 and eventually raising almost triple for FightMND.

“There is a lot of research yet to be done as to why people get it,” she said.

“There’s all these ‘could bes’, but nothing’s ever been confirmed.

“Funds help research to finding a cure or at least a treatment.”

Emily says Phillip is trying absolutely everything to prevent his body from failing and his family is 100% behind him.

“That’s our way of helping him, trying to raise money and finding a cure,” she said.

“When it does hit your family, you’ve got to think positive and don’t let your mindset think negative because that’s where things can go downhill.

“If you’ve got a positive mindset and you’re strong, it helps through the dark days.”

Early MND Symptoms Include:

• weakness in your ankle or leg – you might trip, or find it harder to climb stairs

• slurred speech and difficulty swallowing some foods

• a weak grip – you might drop things, or find it hard to open jars or do up buttons

• muscle cramps and twitches

• weight loss – your arms or leg muscles may have become thinner over time

• difficulty stopping yourself from crying or laughing in inappropriate situations

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