For over 40 years, MND NSW has worked to raise awareness of MND and provide the best possible care and support for people with MND across NSW, the ACT and the Northern Territory. Without a cure, and an average life expectancy of just 27 months, we focus on providing life-changing education, assistive equipment, and support to improve the quality of life of people with MND, their families, and carers. Motor neurone disease (MND) is the name given to a group of diseases in which the nerve cells/neurones controlling the muscles that enable us to move, speak, breathe and swallow; undergo degeneration and die. MND does not affect the sensory neurones – the nerves that receive messages from things we see, touch, smell, hear and taste. This means that people living with MND are fully aware of what is going on around them; however most lose the ability to communicate. Motor Neurone Disease is uncommon but not rare, every day in Australia 2 people are diagnosed with MND and 2 people die from MND. Although there is currently no cure, it is not true to say that ‘nothing can be done for the person with motor neurone disease'. A great deal can be done to maintain quality of life and address many of the effects of the disease. People with motor neurone disease often require special equipment to continue living at home. One of the major roles of MND NSW is to help people with motor neurone disease get access to equipment, as soon as the need for equipment arises. MND NSW makes available 2075 items of assistive equipment - valued at over $3 million - to help maintain the quality of life of someone living with MND. We also run regular education and information sessions for both people living with MND and their families and carers; this includes support groups and coffee mornings to allow people to meet regularly and connect with others in similar circumstances and learn from each other. As the only MND-specific organisation providing the support a person with MND needs within NSW, the ACT and the Northern Territory, MND NSW rely on the generosity of our community. It is only made possible with support of our amazing Community.