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NewsNeale Daniher visits Launceston for the Big FreezeBy Hayden JohnsonUpdated October 6 2017 - 6:35pm, first published 4:30pmBy Hayden JohnsonUpdated October 6 2017 - 6:35pm, first

published 4:30pmFacebookTwitterWhatsappEmailCopyTHANKFUL: Neale Daniher at the Hotel Grand Chancellor. The AFL great is overwhelmed with the community's support. Picture: Phillip Biggs The

grip of Neale Daniher’s hand is almost non-existent, his speech is slurred and he tires easily – but few people have more strength than this former AFL great.

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50% off EOFY SaleAll articles from our website & appThe digital version of Today's PaperCrosswords, Sudoku and TriviaAll other regional websites in your areaContinue In his 82 games for

Essendon in the VFL/AFL he battled several knee injuries.

On June 16, 1989, The Age newspaper noted Daniher’s ongoing misfortune after three knee reconstructions made getting on the footy ground an achievement.

Now, each time Daniher wakes up, he celebrates.

The football player-turned coach has been battling motor neurone disease since 2013.

He returns to Launceston for Saturday’s Big Freeze event in the Quadrant Mall.

The disease has seen his health deteriorate since he visited the region for last year’s event.

“I’m struggling to speak, eventually I won’t be able to walk, won’t be able to eat and won’t be able to breathe,” he said.

MND sufferer Neale Daniher with his wife Jan. With wife, Jan, by his side, Daniher’s focus is on fun.

“Each day you wake up and say; ‘You beauty, I’m still here’,” he said with a smile.

“We’re trying to raise some funds to beat this beast of a disease.”

There is no doubting the pleasure Daniher feels in returning to Launceston – a city that is again rallying to find a cure for this debilitating disease.

“We’d like to thank the people of Launceston for getting involved to help us raise funds to find a treatment and cure for MND – we’re overwhelmed with the support,” he said.

It is a disease that kills two Australians each day.

“We need support to raise funds and fund our best and brightest researchers to find a cure,” Daniher pleaded.

Since being diagnosed with the progressive disease, Daniher’s body has changed.

“I’m a lot worse than last year but I’m a lot better than I’ve been this year,” he said. 

“I've been quite fortunate that my progression is somewhat slower – it’s typically quite aggressive.” 

With Crowe Horwath chipping in $10,000, Daniher is succeeding in raising awareness.

“The more people that know about it the better – if it’s getting bigger we’re doing something right,” he said. 

“We want to shut down what we do because we’ve found a cure – I’d rather be doing something else.”

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