Not even Pigeon House Mountain could prepare Hayley Dun for climbing the Sydney Tower Eye.
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The retained firefighter with Fire and Rescue NSW 405 Nowra was part of team ‘Where’s the Lift?’ who took part in the Firefighters Climb for Motor Neurone Disease on Sunday, October 23.
The 25-year-old joined colleagues from Ulladulla, Merimbula and Braidwood, along with hundreds of firefighters from across NSW to climb all 98 floors and 1504 stairs.
Just to make it easier they all sported an additional 20 kilograms of gear.
The group trained ahead of the event, even taking on Pigeon House Mountain but Hayley said the challenge still took her by surprise.
“I don’t think anything could prepare you for what it was like on the day,” she said.
“It was very hot in the stairwell so when we reached the top it was a really good feeling.
“It was an incredible day and it was so good seeing the turnout of hundreds and hundreds of firefighters supporting a really good cause.”
Hayley raised close to $3000 and team ‘Where’s the Lift?’ raised $15,200 collectively. All funds will directly support MND research at the Macquarie University MND Research Centre.
Hayley said she’s already looking forward to taking on the challenge again next year but said she may start training a little earlier.
In a poignant tribute, Hayley dedicated one of the floors to a young woman who recently died from MND.
“She was my age and she had a young family,” she said.
“I’m so proud of my team and everyone for helping raise money for this important cause.”
MND, also known as ALS or Lou Gehrigs Disease is a progressive, terminal neurological disease. It affects the nerve cells controlling the muscles that enable movement, speech, breathing and swallowing. It eventually causes death.
All funds raised will go towards researching an eventual cure.