TEACHERS from two Bendigo primary schools drenched themselves in icy water on Friday to make messages about Motor Neurone Disease sink in.
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Lightning Reef Primary School and Kennington Primary School teachers completed the Ice Bucket Challenge to educate their students about the fatal disease.
Lightning Reef Primary School grade 5 teacher Katrina Johnstone organised the challenge at her school.
Ms Johnstone's mother Doreen McPhan died of the disease in 2004, aged 50, and Ms Johnstone wanted to help increase awareness of the illness.
Ms Johnstone said the Australian public was not well informed about Motor Neurone Disease.
"It's not one of those (diseases) that is out there as much," she said.
She said this was likely due to the fact the disease was fatal.
"When you have cancer you're in the game but when you have Motor Neurone Disease you're not," she said.
Ms Johnstone said she and other teachers had been teaching the children about the disease in the week leading up to the Ice Bucket Challenge and had been helping them understand what it was like to live with the illness.
"We got them to sit on the floor and imagine not being able to scratch yourself, and to think about going to the toilet but not being able to clean yourself," she said.
"We did a lot of education about why people were doing the challenge. The kids have been fantastic."
Ms Johnstone said she was happy the Ice Bucket Challenge had been successful.
"I'm really happy people are getting behind it and talking about it and raising money too," she said.
She said the school had raised $714 from the initiative.
At Kennington Primary School, more than 20 staff members and several parents completed the challenge.
Principal Glenda Miller said a member of the school community had been diagnosed with Motor Neurone Disease, making the challenge particularly pertinent.
"It was was very pleasing to see hundreds of our families supporting this cause by attending the Ice Bucket Challenge and making very generous donations to this research," she said.
The school raised $1213 for Motor Neurone Disease Australia.