FightMNDwithDoc

Adelaide Footy League Talk

FightMNDwithDoc

Postby 250+ » Fri Jul 06, 2018 12:38 am

The sporting communities around Australia, and especially the Aussie Rules sporting clubs, are great places to form mateships and bonds that last forever. And when something bad happens, we rally around each other to help each other out. It is with this spirit of mateship that I am asking the Adelaide Football League to get behind the Athelstone Football Club as we rally around one of our own who has been recently diagnosed with MND.

Chris 'Doc' Grigg is a legend at the Athelstone Football Club. On field, his list of achievements are endless - 7 Best and Fairest Awards (6 consecutively) from 12 seasons of A Grade football, two A Grade premiership, a SAFA Association medallist, State representative and 200+ game player. Off field, Chris has coached various junior teams and assisted many coaches of our senior teams. He has also raised 3 fantastic children, which he is extremely proud of. Chris is a lovable larrikin - always happy to laugh with you, at you or be laughed at. When he speaks, people listen, such is the respect people have for him.

Twelve months ago Chris was a normal healthy, just over 50yo male. He noticed his tongue was beginning to often feel cold and also started having trouble with is left arm. After numerous doctors and specialists visits, today he is an MND sufferer. However in the same vain that he tackled opponents on the football field, he is tackling this challenge head on. Inspired by Neale Danniher, Chris wants to raise the public's awareness about MND, its impacts on the life of sufferers and their families and also to raise fund to support research to finding an early detection method and a cure for MND.

To this end the Raggies are holding a "FightMNDwithDOC Day" on July 28th. Coincidently that weekend we are playing the Tea Tree Gully Football Club, who sadly have also gone through the MND pain, losing Damian Lane to the disease last year. On this day the Raggies will wear a specially designed guernsey and post game hold a series of raffles and auctions to raise money for the FightMND cause.

That weekend all the Raggies teams (juniors and seniors) will be pulling their dirty old bootlaces from their boots and replacing them with Royal Blue laces to show their support for cause. The Tea Tree Gully A and B grade teams will be doing the same.

Chris's cause has gained a lot of median and online attention of late. Channel 7 ran a piece on him and his son, reigning Magarey Medalist, Mitch Grigg this week, and I understand Channel 2 is also considering interviewing Chris. Online Malcolm "Rulebook" Ashwood wrote an excellent article for the Footy Almanac website http://www.footyalmanac.com.au/chris-grigg-and-the-fight-against-mnd/ and the hashtag #FightMNDwithDOC is starting to gain some usage and exposure.

Chris also played at Norwood and this Saturday Norwood is holdings its "Count Me In Day" raising funds to support MND research

I am now asking the rest of our great football community to get behind us. We are selling the laces for $5 a pair, $3 of which goes to the FightMND organisation established by Neale Danniher for the purpose of MND research. The other $2 goes to the supplier. $105 will get a team of 21 players kitted out in blue laces ($125 for C grade teams with 25 players). It would be great to see as many teams as possible run out onto the ground on the 28th with blue laces to show their support for the cause to find a cure for MND.

If as a reader the idea appeals to you, please take it back to your Club to discuss it. If you want to buy some laces contact me here and we can organise how we get them to you. I will take orders up until Tuesday the 17th July, place the order with the supplier and have them available in the week beginning 23/7/2018.

Thanks for taking the time to read and consider this and I look forward to being inundated with orders.

Geoff Hepworth

PS Who am I? I played football with Chris at Athelstone throughout his career and consider him close friend and an inspiration. I am also a committee member at Athelstone FC.

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Re: FightMNDwithDoc

Postby Footy Chick » Tue Jul 10, 2018 11:33 pm

Great initiative and hope many other clubs jump on board
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