Nerve Connection Foundation

28/05/2026

This week, like so many Australians, we pause to reflect on the extraordinary legacy of Neale Daniher and the enormous impact he made on Motor Neurone Disease care, awareness and research through FightMND.

Nerve Connection Foundation Co-Founder and Director Dr Robert Henderson had the privilege of meeting and working with FightMND over the years - most notably as a regular reviewer of research grant applications submitted to the organisation.

FightMND funding enabled Dr Henderson and others to develop and take part in an MND Travelling Roadshow that delivered vital education, support and connection to regional Queensland communities. These roadshows consisted of two-day seminars for people living with MND, their families and local healthcare professionals, and travelled to Cairns, Townsville, Mackay and Hervey Bay throughout 2024–2025, with one final roadshow planned for Toowoomba later this year.

FightMND has also provided vital funding for research conducted in Queensland, including a $1 million Cure for MND Translational Research Grant awarded in 2017 to a research team at the Royal Brisbane & Women’s Hospital, which Dr Henderson was part of. This funding enabled the team to undertake the Phase I study of IC14 in collaboration with Implicit Bioscience — research that continues to be investigated internationally today.

Reflecting on a meeting with Neale in 2020, Dr Henderson shared these words that have stayed with him ever since:

“I don’t want you spending all your time trying to raise money – I want you working on funding a cure for people like me.”

A powerful reminder of what this fight is truly about.

The photo shared is of Dr Rob Henderson with FightMND Co-Founder Dr Ian Davis OAM, with Neale in the background.

Rest in peace, Neale — and thank you for the hope, determination and impact you gave to so many. 💙

22/05/2026

🎄 SOLD OUT – THANK YOU TENTERFIELD! 🎄

Wow… we are blown away.

Our Christmas in July event has officially SOLD OUT and we want to say a huge thank you to the Tenterfield community and everyone from further afield who has gotten behind this event and our cause.

We can’t wait to bring together a fantastic night of Christmas cheer, great food, plenty of laughs with internationally acclaimed comedian and ventriloquist Darren Carr, and to hear from Tenterfield’s own Matt Butler – all while raising vital funds for research into neuromuscular diseases such as Motor Neurone Disease and Muscular Dystrophy.

A special thank you also to our event sponsor - DMC Construction Group - for supporting this event and helping make it possible.

Missed out on tickets or can’t make the event but would still like to support?

We would love donations of raffle and auction prizes to help us maximise the impact of the evening and raise even more for research.

If you’d like to contribute, please email [email protected] or send us a DM.

Thank you again, Tenterfield - we can’t wait to celebrate Christmas in July with you! 🎅✨

20/05/2026

Behind everything we do at Nerve Connection Foundation are people generously giving their time to help others.

This National Volunteer Week, we want to recognise and thank the many volunteers who support our Foundation in so many different ways.

To the volunteers who help organise events, sell raffle tickets, assist behind the scenes and contribute their professional expertise, skills and knowledge — thank you.

To the patients and families who courageously share their personal stories to help raise awareness for neuromuscular diseases and the importance of research — thank you.

And to every individual who volunteers to participate in clinical trials and research projects — thank you for helping drive progress towards better understanding, earlier diagnosis and improved treatments for conditions such as Motor Neurone Disease and Muscular Dystrophy.

These photos are just some of the volunteers from the past 12 months. Even if you are not shown but have volunteered in some way - please know we are grateful and that your contribution is helping create hope for so many families, both now and into the future.

Together, we are making connections to find a cure.

20/05/2026

Exciting news for the future of neuromuscular disease research in Queensland.

Yesterday, a special media event was held at Toowoomba Hospital to officially mark the launch of a groundbreaking research project utilising the Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation (TMS) Machine and HD-sEMG Machine purchased by Nerve Connection Foundation thanks to the incredible generosity of our donors and supporters.

These vital pieces of equipment were made possible through generous donations and funds raised at the 2025 Lex’s Legacy Lunch — a powerful example of what can be achieved when a community comes together with a shared purpose. We are especially grateful to major supporters including Clive Berghofer and Toowoomba Grammar School, whose significant contributions helped bring this important project to life.

Led by neurologist Dr Ehsan Shandiz and supervised by Associate Professor Robert Henderson and Professor Pamela McCombe, this cutting-edge project aims to improve the early detection, diagnosis and monitoring of Motor Neurone Disease (MND).

At Nerve Connection Foundation, we are committed to funding research that gives hope — not only for people living with MND, but for those impacted by a range of neuromuscular diseases.

To everyone who donated, attended Lex’s Legacy Lunch, supported our events, or backed this project in any way — thank you. This research would not be possible without you.

You can read more about the project in this story written for ABC News by journalist Elly Bradfield -https://www.abc.net.au/news/2026-05-19/motor-neurone-disease-research-to-begin-in-toowoomba/106674492

Natalie has seen her body and speech deteriorate; she has lost her independence and dignity — but she says new research into motor neurone disease has given her hope for those diagnosed in the future.

27/04/2026

😂 LIVE COMEDY IN TENTERFIELD – ONE NIGHT ONLY

Tenterfield, this is your chance for a great night out…

Internationally acclaimed ventriloquist and comedian Darren Carr is coming to town for a special Christmas in July event at Tenterfield Golf Club on 11 July.

Expect big laughs, festive cheer and a great night with friends - all while supporting vital research into neuromuscular diseases such as Motor Neurone Disease and Muscular Dystrophy.

🎄 Christmas dinner
🎤 Live comedy show
🎁 Auctions & raffle

Plus hear from Nerve Connection Foundation Ambassador, Matt Butler, who has strong ties to Tenterfield.

👉 Gather your friends and make a night of it
👉 Tickets are limited - see link in comments.

Join us for Christmas in July in Tenterfield — great food, live entertainment and a meaningful cause. The perfect excuse for a winter weekend escape.

06/12/2025

Twilight on the Tarmac is officially SOLD OUT...but hopefully not for long!

We’ve been absolutely overwhelmed by the amazing support from the Goondiwindi community and beyond and can't believe the tickets were snapped up so quickly. ✨

The good news? We’re now working hard to increase capacity and hope to release additional tickets in January.

👉 Join the waitlist to be the first notified if more tickets become available:
https://bit.ly/TOTTwaitlist

We’d also like to extend a huge thank you to our sponsors for helping bring this event to life:
💛 Gold Sponsor: GFG Projects
🤝 Silver Sponsors: Clark Farming Group, Makim Strong Constructions, Coulton Farming, Valcore Advisory

We can’t wait to see you on the tarmac! ✈️✨

GFG Projects

04/12/2025

As one of Australia's leading Neurologists and researchers in the field of Motor Neurone Disease, our very own Associate Professor Rob Henderson was invited to to be a guest speaker on MND Australia’s recent national webinar exploring the "Every Moment Matters" report. The webinar covered a range of topics that unpacked the true cost of motor neurone disease (MND) in Australia - not just financially but emotionally and socially. Read the full story and watch the webinar recording by clicking on this link: https://nerveconnection.org.au/insights-urgency-and-hope-key-takeaways-from-the-every-moment-matters-mnd-australia-webinar/?et_fb=1&PageSpeed=off

23/10/2025

Some very hot weather and a storm certainly didn't dampen spirits at our Croquet Connections afternoon last Saturday. There was just a lot of fun, awesome people, and some light-hearted competition on the court.

Special thanks to our sponsors - Daren Crawford from The Loan Market and Eirini Hatzellis from Envy Boutique Travel. You are amazing!

Also, thanks to the ladies and gents of the McIlwraith Croquet Club, our MC King Henry and our special guest speaker Natalie Verdouw who shared her personal story of being diagnosed with Motor Neurone Disease. 🙏💙

Stay tuned for some professional photos from Kait Barker!!!

Onto the next fundraising event....Melbourne Cup at The Magee...get your tickets now 🏇🏆

Loan Market Daren Crawford
Envy Boutique Travel
Melbourne Cup Day at The Magee

17/10/2025

We're down to the last few tickets left for our Croquet Connections Day tomorrow. If you haven't booked yet, you can still get in quick for a beautiful day on the lawn!

Not only will it be fun and games, but we've got some great speakers talking about their lived experience with MND.

And for those that can't make it, you can donate any time via our website.

Looking forward to seeing everyone tomorrow!

https://events.humanitix.com/lawn-and-order-charity-edition

14/10/2025