Some unlikely super heroes dressed in the best red and yellow underpants, latex leggings, capes and masks in support of the National Muscular Dystrophy Research Centre’s National Super Hero Week.
Caped crusaders, dark knights, avengers and other metahumans proudly donned as their secret superhero identity braved the streets, schools and streets of Australia. The assembly of superheroes joined their MARVELlous powers in the fight against the devastating disease.
This year was the second year that National Superhero Week raised funds for muscular dystrophy.
According to the National Muscular Dystrophy Research Centre more than 20,000 participants registered this year for the event raising funds through gold coin donations towards research at the National Muscular Dystrophy Research Centre.
The financial services team from the ACT Department of Immigration and Border Protection was not left out and joined their forces in the fight during National Superhero week from 1 – 5 September.
Organiser Michael Taylor said, “The staffers decided to get involved because as they thought it would be a good team building exercise, while at the same time it would be a good way to raise an awareness and understanding about muscular dystrophy, a progressive muscle-wasting disorder that affects one in 1000 people globally.”
“We’re getting together as a team to raise money for a good cause,” Mr Taylor said.
“Our workplace is made up of people with diverse backgrounds and needs. Opportunities like these allow us to raise awareness about challenges that might be faced by our colleagues and the broader community,” continued Mr Taylor.
For ACT’s Immigration and Border Control’s Chief financial officer, Charlotte Tressler, it was a personal recognition of a friend’s brother was struck down by the disease at the age of 18.
“The time we had with him was too short but it was an enormous blessing to be part of his life knowing that every moment was precious. His gradual decline was heart breaking,” Ms Tressler said.
“This period of time was extremely hard on him and particularly his family and the support that they received from organisations such as Muscular Dystrophy Australia helped them through.”
Muscular Dystrophy Australia’s executive director Borris Struk founded MDA more than 30 years ago when a lack of information when his own son Ryan was diagnosed with the paediatric form of the disorder. Then Struk’s family was told that he would only live until 14.
“This sparked a fire in me to dedicate my life to making sure no other family had to go through that terrible experience and three decades on, MDA provides national care and support programs,” Mr Struk said.
IMAGE: From Boris Struk (Muscular Dystrophy Australia) Facebook.
