Alumni
From Lauren Healey - Class of 2018
My name’s Lauren Healey and I graduated from Calrossy last year. As the year was coming to end it seemed like a mad scramble to study, apply for university and pass all my HSC exams. Once I finished, I was accepted into Exercise and Sports Science at RMIT. The time after the HSC that I thought would be spent relaxing and spending time with family turned into a busy few months of finding a place to live, picking courses and moving my life from Tamworth to Melbourne. Since then it’s been one full week after another, which I enjoy because it keeps me busy. That is, until I went home for mid-semester break. The day after Easter my dad sat my sister and I down and told us that he had been diagnosed with Motor Neuron Disease (MND). This is the point when my busy world finally came to a halt. There is no good time, nor an easy way to find out someone so close to you has a disease which currently has no cure. The man who seemed so invincible to me now seemed different, a feeling I can’t put into words.
MND, also known as ALS or Lou Gehrig's disease, is a degenerative disorder affecting specific neurons in the spinal cord, brainstem and brain. It results in gradual loss of voluntary muscle control, eventually leading to paralysis. Tamworth is a ‘cluster’. This means that it’s a hotspot for MND, so it’s likely you or someone you know has had dealings with this horrible disease.
It seemed bleak when he told us and I don’t think I smiled or felt happy for weeks on end, until I found FightMND. They were founded in 2014 and established with the purpose of finding effective treatments and ultimately a cure for Motor Neuron Disease. I decided to participate in the Run Melbourne, taking place on July 28th, to run for FightMND. I’ve started fundraising through my page and it’s been amazing. My dad is my inspiration for running. Some of you may know him as Dr. David Healey, but I only know him as dad. He has devoted his life to helping people, and now he’s the one needing help. The amount of support we’ve received so far is overwhelming! Seeing what kind and generous people are currently surrounding him in Tamworth makes me feel better about being so far away most of the time.
By coming together and fundraising for FightMND, we’re not only helping people live longer with the disease, but we’re helping find a cure. Besides donating through my page, you can also buy a beanie to help fundraise and spread awareness of this horrible disease.
Link to FightMND website: https://fightmnd.org.au/
Link to MND Australia: https://m.mndaust.asn.au/Home.aspx
Link to MND NSW: https://www.mndnsw.asn.au/
My link: https://runmelbourne2019.everydayhero.com/au/lauren-1
