MND Action Month: tip a bucket, pour a brew, make time count

June is MND Action Month — a time to take action, raise awareness, and make time count for New Zealanders living with motor neurone disease (MND).

MND is a rapidly progressing, incurable disease that robs people of their ability to move, talk, eat, and eventually breathe. On average, a person diagnosed with MND in Aotearoa has just 36 months to live.

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

That’s why we’re inviting Kiwis across the motu this June to take action. Host a Cuppa Tea for MND ☕. Take on the iconic Ice Bucket Challenge 🧊. Or do both.

Whether you tip or pour, every action makes a difference.

Why now?
MND Action Month is our opportunity to bring motor neurone disease into the national conscience — and into the hearts and homes of New Zealanders. It’s our call to do more than raise awareness. It’s a chance to build connection, drive momentum, and power research and support for the 400+ people living with MND in Aotearoa today.

Behind every diagnosis is a person. A whānau. A community. We’re here to honour their stories — and push for a better future.

Make time count
In the absence of a cure, time becomes one of the most precious and precarious resources. The reality? People with MND often face long delays for vital equipment, high costs for basic needs, and an under-resourced system that moves too slowly for a fast-moving disease.

At Motor Neurone Disease NZ, we’re working hard to change that — through one-to-one support, targeted advocacy, and a commitment to research that brings us closer to answers.

Your support helps us meet people where they are. It helps us make time count.

Three ways to take part

1. Host a Cuppa Tea for MND

Raise a (little) finger to MND by pouring a cuppa with friends, family, or colleagues. Whether it’s a morning tea, a high tea, or just a shared moment of connection, it’s a powerful way to honour someone you love and raise awareness in your community.

2. Take on the Ice Bucket Challenge

Tip a bucket. Shock the system. Start the conversation. This cold splash of reality draws attention to the urgent, unmet needs of those living with MND — and it’s a great way to rally your school, club, or workplace.

3. Tip and Pour

Why choose one when you can do both? Combine a cuppa and a cold splash to double the impact. Pour it forward with a warm cuppa, then cool things off with an ice bucket moment. It’s awareness and action, all in one.

You can even combine the two — pour a cuppa and drench the boss!

Get involved
Visit www.mndactionmonth.org.nz to sign up, download your toolkit, and find ideas and inspiration.

And if you’re sharing your efforts online, don’t forget to tag us @MND_NZ and use the official campaign hashtags:

MNDActionMonth | #TipOrPour | #IceBucketChallenge | #CuppaTeaforMND

Together, let’s tip a bucket, pour a brew, and make time count for those living with MND today — and help create hope for tomorrow.