A Motor Neurone Disease campaigner has reached another major milestone on his journey to raise awareness for the condition.
Pete Collins tipped a bucket of iced tea over his head after he notched up £5,000 for his new Tea4MND fundraiser which has now gained celebrity attention.
The 31-year-old from Long Eaton, along with his brother John, has raised a total of more than £70,000 for The Stephen Collins Tribute Fund – which was set up in their father’s name after his death in 2008.
Pete’s latest campaign invites members of the public to post a picture of themselves with a cup of tea on social media after making a donation to the cause.
The aim is to highlight the difficulties sufferers face as the disease progresses – simple things such as holding a mug of tea eventually become an impossibility. At the same time, those who care for friends or family members with the condition often struggle to find 10 minutes for a cuppa themselves.
Pete believes that by increasing social awareness the care available for those with MND can only improve – and hopefully a cure may eventually be found.
“A £5 donation can buy a piece of adaptive cutlery which enables someone with MND to eat which is so important.”
Pete also speaks highly of the celebrities who have been happy to endorse the campaign such as television presenter Eamonn Holmes and Strictly Come Dancing star Jeremy Vine. However, he recognises that – more importantly – the support must lie in the community.
He added: “It is the general public that makes the campaign – they are the ones who may have links with the disease.”
