Seven firefighter from Kangaroo Valley RFS are gearing up to climb the Sydney Tower Eye to raise money and awareness for Motor Neurone Disease (MND). 

Firies Climb for MND will be held on Saturday, October 14, with hundreds of firefighters from across the state taking on the 1,054 steps. 

While it’s a challenge enough on its own, they will also be tackling the 98 floors while each carrying an extra 20 kilograms of gear. 

Deputy captain David Smart said after he put the challenge out there, his team was quick to jump on board. 

“I was considering it as a personal challenge but everyone was very keen,” he said. 

“I’ve been doing Bens Walk and some of the others have been going up and down the showground steps – at 26 steps they’ve worked out they have to do them 58 times.”

The team has set a $10,000 target and has already reached $2,400.

​”We have had good support from local residents and some businesses so far but would like to get a major sponsor and further promote this cause,” David said. 

All money raised will directly support vital MND research at the Macquarie University MND Research Centre.

MND is Motor Neurone Disease, or ALS, or Lou Gehrigs Disease. MND is a progressive, terminal neurological disease. It affects the nerve cells (neurones) controlling the muscles that enable us to move, speak, breathe and swallow, causing them the degenerate and die.

A person’s senses and intellect are not affected.

Donate to the Kangaroo Valley team’s cause here.