It starts today: MND Action Month is here

The first of June marks the official start of MND Action Month — and people across Aotearoa are already stepping up to make time count for those living with motor neurone disease (MND).

From hosting Cuppa Teas to taking on the Ice Bucket Challenge, New Zealanders are raising funds, starting conversations, and showing that MND cannot be ignored.

Across the motu, individuals, whānau, schools, workplaces, churches, and community groups are getting involved — each in their own way, but with a shared purpose.

Now it’s your turn.

Why we need to act — now

Motor neurone disease is a progressive, incurable, and ultimately terminal condition. It gradually takes away a person’s ability to move, speak, eat — and eventually, to breathe.

In New Zealand:

• Two people die from MND every week
• Two more are diagnosed
• Most people have just two to three years between diagnosis and death

There’s no cure.
No meaningful treatments.
And no time to waste.

That’s why MND Action Month matters — and why action, visibility, and community support are so vital.

A month of action across Aotearoa

MND Action Month is about more than fundraising. It’s about bringing MND into everyday conversations and into the national conscience.

It’s a reminder that behind every diagnosis is:

• a person
• a whānau
• a community adapting to rapid change.
  

More than 400 New Zealanders are living with MND right now. Many face:

• delays accessing essential support and equipment
• high out‑of‑pocket costs
• significant physical, emotional, and financial strain.
  

Through MND Action Month, we shine a light on these realities — and build the understanding, advocacy, and momentum needed to change them.

Three ways to take part this June

Whether you have five minutes or five weeks, there’s a way to get involved.

❄️ Take on the Ice Bucket Challenge

A bold, visible act that creates awareness and starts conversations.

Tip a bucket, nominate others, and use the moment to raise awareness of a disease that doesn’t wait.

☕ Host a Cuppa Tea for MND

A warm, simple way to bring people together.

Host a morning tea at home, at work, at school, or in your community — and invite donations to support people living with MND. Every cuppa poured helps make time count.

💙 Tip and Pour — do both

Why choose one?

Combine a cold splash with a warm brew and show your support in every way that counts.

Make time count

When there’s no cure, time becomes precious.

At Motor Neurone Disease NZ, we work alongside people affected by MND to:

• provide personalised support
• advocate for timely access to services and equipment
• fund research that brings us closer to answers
  

Your support during MND Action Month helps us meet people where they are — and make the most of the time they have.

Join us

With the King’s Birthday break giving many people a little extra time today, now is the perfect moment to plan something meaningful for June. There’s still plenty of time to get involved — and we’ve made it easy.

👉 Sign up today:
www.mndactionmonth.org.nz/signup

If you’re sharing your action online, tag @MND_NZ and use:
#MNDActionMonth | #MakeTimeCount | #TipOrPour | #IceBucketChallenge | #CuppaTeaforMND

Together, let’s tip a bucket, pour a brew, and make time count — for the people we love, the people we remember, and the people living with MND today.