Philip Ruddock (Berowra, Liberal Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I am pleased to see you here in the chair, Mr Deputy Speaker Porter, and so many colleagues to hear the observations I am about to make. I have had friends of the family I have known over a long period of time who have suffered MS. Today I want to bring to your attention the activities of a constituent of mine Michael Hemingway. Michael has suffered from MS for some 10 years and he campaigns tirelessly to fundraise for MS research and to raise awareness.

Michael is going to participate in the Wainwrights Coast2Coast MS Walk. It begins on 30 August and finishes on 11 September this year. He is part of a group of 20 MS sufferers who will be walking over 303 kilometres from one side of England to the other. They will be walking under the banner 'Kiss MS Goodbye' in the hopes of raising $150,000 for MS research and to launch the Kiss Goodbye to MS brand in the UK.

There are around 23,000 Australians who suffer from multiple sclerosis and there is still no cure. But it is through fundraising of this type that we will create awareness and the government's Medical Research Future Fund hopefully will be able to play a part as well to find a cure or a prevention for this terrible illness. I would like to congratulate Mike and the 19 other walkers who are taking into their own hands the task of raising these moneys.