BENDIGO students and teachers have endured a spine-tingling splash to help find a cure for motor neurone disease.
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Bone-chilling buckets of ice and water were dumped on 10 people at Bendigo South East College on Monday morning to raise money for FightMND.
The school's student representative council hoped to raise $4000 through donations, sales of food and drink as well as the help of businesses including Strathdale's Domino's Pizza and SUPA IGA.
It was yet to tally the final amount raised on Monday afternoon but student leaders said they had received a lot of support from the school and wider community.
The public alone chipped in $600 in just half-an-hour on Monday morning when Triple M Bendigo featured their cause on air, and breakfast show host Kylie was among those showered with cold water.
All money raised would help FightMND fight "the beast" of motor neurone disease, which impacts the nerve cells that control muscles.
People with MND gradually lose the ability to use their arms and legs, eat, eat, drink and swallow. The disease eventually takes away people's ability to breathe.
Two Australians die every day and another two are diagnosed.
More than 2,000 Australians have MND, 470 of them in Victoria, and for every person diagnosed, it's estimated that a further 14 members of their family and friends will live with the effects forever.
Monday marked global motor neurone awareness day and saw a range of activities and announcements, including a bespoke national training program to help people care for loved ones as their MND progresses.
That program is being rolled out through a partnership between Home Instead and MND NSW.
Most people survive for only two-and-a-half years after their diagnosis.
Big Freeze events have become major parts of Australia's fundraising calendar over the better part of a decade, thanks to the backing of the AFL community and patrons like former Essendon player and Melbourne coach Neale Daniher.
Daniher was diagnosed with motor neurone disease in 2013.
For more information about the search for a cure for motor neurone disease or to donate visit www.fightmnd.org.au
- With Australian Associated Press
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