Trek for MND: Three sisters on a mission to make time count

Three Auckland sisters are on a mission to make time count for people living with MND in memory of Carl Cavanagh (pictured left) who died of the disease in August 2025, aged 56.

Fundraising for research and support of people living with motor neurone disease (MND) is a family affair for Carl’s wife Lisa Cavanagh (53), and her sisters Katrina McClune and Veronica Ashby. The three of them are joining the 2026 Abel Tasman Trek for MND this October while their fourth sister, Angela Ashby is supporting their fundraising efforts.  

We are family 

The sisters’ mum, Kathy O’Keefe is also in the support crew. She crocheted a nativity scene which was auctioned on Trade Me at Christmas, has sizzled sausages and is helping with other fundraising events. Lisa’s daughter, her nieces, nephews and the team’s friends are all helping too. They’re involved in car boot sales, a movie night, and the recent Trade Me auction of a handmade ANZAC quilt. Carl’s birthday is on ANZAC day, and he was a Navy veteran so the auction had a particularly special meaning.

“Fundraising for the trek is an opportunity for me, my sisters, our mum and other family members to spend more time together with a shared purpose while making time count and creating new memories,” explains Lisa. “We were at the sausage sizzle at Bunnings recently telling lots of stories and sharing memories of Carl.” Family and friends also appreciate the opportunity to do something to help, which was not always possible while Carl and Lisa faced the challenges of Carl’s incurable disease.

“They couldn't always be here to deal with a lot of the stuff we had to deal with. But now they can do something to help and show they care by raising funds and raising awareness,” says Lisa. “The trek also gives me something tangible to honour Carl and the active way he lived his life, while giving back to the MND community to help fund the amazing support that we received through MND NZ and to help them support research.”

Navigating tough times and pink sparkles

MND NZ Regional Support Advisor Rachel Woodworth walked alongside Carl and Lisa as they navigated Carl’s diagnosis and all the necessary appointments and equipment. Rachel smiles as she remembers the unintentional humour of their first meeting location, which provided some light relief in the face of such adversity.

“It was ridiculously hot in the café. I was late due to an accident enroute and rushed in to find a pink-cheeked Carl and Lisa engulfed by fluffy pink furnishings, sitting in a pink booth, with a pink table, pink cups and sparkly pink everything,” recalls Rachel. “I was so apologetic about my lateness but more so about the pink, fluffy, sauna-like surroundings… we all saw the funny side.”  

She describes Carl’s MND as relentless and fast progressing. “A man of few words, Carl faced MND with such courage, dignity and strength. He smiled with his eyes,” says Rachel. “Lisa was Carl’s rock despite her own turmoil; they were a true team and both so strong and so kind.”

Living their dream

Lisa and Carl were living their dream travelling around Australia in a caravan when they first noticed Carl’s MND symptoms. They’d sold their house and belongings in New Zealand, given up their jobs, and taken the leap to travel and work. “We were mountain biking and hiking, just being out and about and doing stuff then stopping and working in various places along the way,” says Lisa.

Carl stopped riding his mountain bike for a couple of months, partly due to weakness on his left side and several falls. He was struggling to get in and out of the caravan, needed help to get up off the ground, and was experiencing tingling sensations. Medical specialists thought he had a pinched nerve and sent him to a neurological surgeon for what should have been minor day surgery. However, the surgeon said he couldn’t help and got Carl fast-tracked to see a neurologist.

In December 2024, Carl fell badly and was going to the accident and emergency (A and E) clinic when he happened to get a follow-up call from the surgeon. Carl explained that his symptoms were getting worse, he hadn’t heard from the neurologist, and he was now enroute to A and E after a fall.

“And that surgeon must have known what he thought it was. Because he rang the neurologist, got him off the golf course and made him come and meet us at A and E,” recalls Lisa.  

At the whim of an incurable disease

Two days before Christmas 2024, they received the news that Carl had MND. “For me, one of the things that hit hardest from the day we were diagnosed is the total lack of any hope of a cure right now. There's no real treatment, you're just totally at the whim of the disease,” says Lisa.

Twenty-four hours later, they were back in New Zealand to set up a home in Auckland again, with their caravan stored in Australia and their two dogs temporarily rehomed with Carl’s sister. They bought and set up a house from scratch while dealing with Carl’s deteriorating health. By February 2025, he was in a wheelchair.

“Carl passed away eight months after his diagnosis, in August 2025. He had quite an aggressive form of fast-progressing MND. It was a similar pathway to the actor Eric Dane, he was diagnosed not long after us,” says Lisa. Tears well as she describes how much it means to her to be helping other families by fundraising for the Trek for MND with her sisters. She’s also looking forward to five days walking the Abel Tasman trail with them, and others who have been impacted by MND.

Helping other families

“The support we got from MND NZ, and the local hospice was just amazing. It’s important to me to give back and know that by raising money ourselves, we'll be able to help another family in that situation,” says Lisa.   

“And by supporting the research, hopefully we can give another family hope that someday MND is no longer a death sentence, but it's something that is treatable.”

Support or join the sisters

The Trek for MND Abel Tasman Adventure is five days, 55 km of golden beaches, native forest, and rugged coastline, all to raise vital funds for Motor Neurone Disease NZ.

You can join Lisa and her sisters on the scenic Abel Tasman Trek this October – and for two weeks only (from 29 April), Inspired Adventures are offering a $1 registration fee (usually $390!) when you sign up. You can use the code MNDTREK1 to activate this on the trek registration page.

If you’re unable to join us on the trek, you can support the three sisters from the comfort of your home on their Trek for MND via their fundraising page.