Ahh, our beloved Bunnings sausage sizzle. Crispy beef sausage, caramelised onions, lashings of sauce, cradled in a fluffy slice of Wonder White bread – it’s a national treasure.
Sadly, COVID-19 and strict government restrictions means we’ve been left hankering to get down to Bunnings and get stuck into a sausage sanga for weeks now. However, this long weekend is all about hosting a virtual BBQ at home for a very good cause.
We spoke to Bec Daniher, the daughter of FightMND’s Neale Daniher, on the most recent episode of It’s Been A Big Day For…about how we can get our grill on and join the fight against Motor Neuron Disease this Queen’s Birthday. Listen below:
“Motor Neuron Disease is a terminal illness, there are no effective treatments, and there is no cure for it,” Daniher explains. “It attacks the neurons in your body which control your muscles. When they waste away, you can’t use your muscles. It stops you from being able to walk, to talk, to swallow – eventually you’re unable to breathe.”
Daniher said there’s a misconception that MND is a “rare disease” because of how quickly it can take someone’s life. “The average lifespan is 27 months,” she says. “Two people are diagnosed every day in Australia, and two people lose that battle. It’s something we have to fight together.”
Motor Neuron Disease is something that affects so many people, but there are so many efforts being made all over the world to raise awareness about the disease, and help find effective treatment and a cure.
FightMND’s Big Freeze 6 is one of those initiatives, in partnership with the AFL. “Usually, it kicks off at the MCG on the Queen’s Birthday during the game between Melbourne and Collingwood. 10 amazing celebrities go down a big slide into a pool filled with two tonnes of ice, all to help raise money for MND.”
Due to the pandemic, things look a little different for the Big Freeze this year, but it’s easier than ever to get involved at home. “An AFL player from every club across Australia is doing their own version of the ice bucket – Big Freeze challenge,” she explains.”On June 8th, we’re asking everyone to tune into Channel 7 to check it out.”
“What I’ve learnt from Dad is that with any challenge, there is opportunity,” she says. “With this COVID world we’ve been put in, it’s forced us to look at different opportunities and how we can do this campaign better.”
Daniher is also encouraging Aussies to get involved in the fight against MND by using the Big Freeze hashtags and joining the conversation on social media. “Social media, from our perspective, is becoming our major marketing tool – to reach as many different people as we can, and the message continues to grow,” Daniher says.
It’s a great excuse to fire up the barbie and replicate your very own Bunnings sausage sizzle. If you’re not a fan of BBQ’d meat, you can also head to Bunnings and pick up FightMND beanie. Your head will thank you come the cooler months.
You can also get involved this long weekend on the Big Freeze 6 Facebook event – Bunnings will donate $2.50 to FightMND for everyone who clicks attending and $2.50 on behalf of each Australian Team Members, a total of $100,000.
Rugging up and getting stuck into a sausage for a good cause? Sounds like the perfect long weekend.
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