What is MND

Motor Neurone Disease (MND), is a progressive neurodegenerative disease that attacks the upper and lower motor neurones.  Degeneration of the motor neurones leads to weakness and wasting of muscles, causing increasing loss of mobility in the limbs, and difficulties with speech, swallowing and breathing.

• It can affect any adult at any age but most people diagnosed with the disease are over the age of 40, with the highest incidence occurring between the ages of 50 and 70
• Men are affected approximately twice as often as women.
• The incidence or number of people who will develop MND each year is about two people in every 100,000
• The prevalence or number of people living with MND at any one time is approximately seven in every 100,000

In the case of New Zealand this amounts to :

About 100 new cases each year

About 300 in New Zealand at any one time

Average number of MND deaths p.a.  87 – 100 compared with HIV/Aids 33 and Multiple Sclerosis 28)