After losing his wife to motor neurone disease (MND) a year ago Paul Stoodley and his friend Peter Papas would embark on a three-day drive to raise awareness about the debilitating disease.
The two Gosnells residents, who formed team Stoodley in memory of Janine Stoodley, would set off from East Fremantle football club’s atom stadium on Friday in Mr Papas’ Nissan Navara as part of Daniher’s drive for MND.
Their trip would take them to Northam and then into the wheatbelt with a final secret destination before returning to Perth on Sunday afternoon for a family fun day.
Mr Papas said the trip would also mark a year since Mrs Stoodley’s death and the team hoped to honour her memory.
“Motor neurone disease shuts down the neurons in the muscles themselves so you eventually get muscle wastage,” he said.
“You basically become comatose in your own body so your brain remains 100 per cent but your body shuts down around you.
“Everyone’s symptoms are different so some people find themselves losing their ability to swallow but someone else will have different symptoms, either way it’s a horrid disease.”
Mr Papas said the team had already raised $3000 but they now aimed to raise $5000.
“We’re almost there but we’re not going to stop raising money even when we reach our goal,” he said.
For more information or to donate visit mnddrive2015.everydayhero.com/au/team-stoodley-1.
