Louise Blockley 
The MND Insight Research confirms what our support advisors see throughout Aotearoa every day – unpaid family carers of people with MND experience a high level of carer burden. The Ministry of Social Development (MSD) is keen to hear your thoughts on a new draft Carers’ Strategy Action Plan. This plan is intended to support … Read more
MND NZ CE Mark Leggett and MND NZ Research Advisor Dr Natalie Gauld met with the Minister of Health Simeon Brown at the end of January. The focus of the meeting was ‘Making time count in healthcare for people with MND’. Discussion was centred around changes our MND community tells us are needed to make … Read more
MND Regional Support Advisor Waikato, Taranaki, and Whanganui (North) Cat Taylor joined the MND NZ Team in late 2025. She is ‘happily un-married’ to her partner of 25 years, with a 22-year-old son and a 20-year-old daughter. Their son lives with Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy. Beyond her part-time role for MND NZ, Cat’s a gym instructor … Read more
Regional Support Advisor Northland and Waitematā Jenny Paine counts herself lucky to have escaped full time retirement by joining MND NZ as a support advisor covering Rodney and Northland late in 2025. She spent her working life, prior to her retirement and un-retirement, in the health sector. Initially, she worked as an occupational therapist, and … Read more
In September 2016, Shauntelle Schreuder (L), a 40-year-old mother-of-two, was diagnosed with motor neurone disease (MND). Shauntelle’s sister, Silvia Hodel (R), says she felt “utterly helpless” when she heard about her sibling’s diagnosis. “I decided to find a way to support Motor Neurone Disease New Zealand (MND NZ) by fundraising for both support and research. … Read more
Motor Neurone Disease NZ (MND NZ) is delighted to announce the publication of the first academic paper using data gathered in the 2025 MND Insight Research study from nearly 300 respondents in our MND community. Published in the New Zealand Medical Journal (NZMJ) today, Riluzole use and reasons for non-use in people with Amyotrophic Lateral … Read more
Commonwealth Games silver medalist Blair Cox has sage advice for competitors in the 2026 Master’s Games. “There will always be someone fitter and stronger, but you’re on the start line and still doing it. Be grateful because you are lucky and some aren’t quite as lucky as you,” says Blair. When Blair finished an … Read more
Robyn Pryor didn’t set out to write a book. In 2022, when motor neurone disease (MND) forced her to resign from teaching English at 58, she enrolled in a distance learning paper at Massey University to “occupy her brain”. Her study ignited a passion for creative non-fiction which led Robyn to graduate with a Master … Read more
Motor Neurone Disease NZ is calling for the Government to urgently introduce and fund liquid riluzole for people living with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), the most common form of motor neurone disease (MND) in New Zealand. MND is a fatal, rapidly progressing neurodegenerative disease that affects the brain and spinal cord with no cure. In … Read more
Helen Casey-MacDuff has a lifelong-artist’s view of the world and as an art educator she encourages others to find their own creative perspective on life. From an early childhood love of art and observing nature on the family farm in Kerepēhi, to painting while sitting beside her terminally ill husband – art is the creative … Read more
Photo: Jackie Keenan (R) rides with her dad, Craig, and sister Hannah When Jackie Keenan’s dad was diagnosed with MND in 2025 she struggled with the inability to apply her natural problem-solving skills to an incurable disease. She soon found an impactful way to ‘do something’. Her story goes way beyond the incredible challenge of … Read more
Relax with a craft beer at a quiz night in the Sprig and Fern Thorndon during November and you’ll be raising funds to make time count for people living with motor neurone disease (MND). Tuesday nights are pub quiz nights at the Sprig and Fern Thorndon. The good folk there have been running quizzes for … Read more