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TIME: there is nothing we can do to stop it from passing. With each second of the clock, Jenni Kerr watched the health of her partner, Shane Dwyer, deteriorate from motor neurone disease. And it all happened so quickly.

One minute he was fit, active, healthy and a public speaker. The next he could not talk or walk–and then, in
August last year, he died. But Jenni’s involvement with the disease and a Sunshine Coast support group
has continued.

“It was difficult once he passed away to go back into the group,” she said.

“But it’s known as an older person’s disease and I’m one of the younger ones that goes there.

“The involvement of the younger ones is needed.” With the passing of time Jenni has been able to see
some positives in the overwhelming negatives associated with the disease.

“Shane had control right ’til the end,” she said. “He knew this was it and he did it his own way.

“Shane lived life. He had a good life. He raised his boys – they were healthy, educated and had all he wished for.”

The support group holds monthly meetings at Nambour. Phone Jenni on 5443 2795 for more details.

Source: The Sunshine Coast Daily, Saturday 9 May 2009, Page 14.

SUPERFICIALLY it looks like Amber Werchon has it all. She has looks, brains, money, a great career and the man of her dreams.

But there is one thing this award-winning real estate dynamo desperately wants that no money can buy or medicine can fix, and that’s for her uncle, Ian Bell, to regain his health.

Ian was diagnosed with motor neurone disease last year. In a matter of months the former principal of Carolans Real Estate in Nambour has gone from a fit and busy man to someone quickly losing his ability to talk and walk around.

And unless there isamiracle, he is not going to get better. It is only going to get worse.

The disease takes away the ability to talk, walk and ultimately to even breathe.

Yet the ability to think, smell, taste and feel remains acutely real. Since her uncle was diagnosed, Amber has plunged herself into learning as much as she can about the disease and has become the ambassador for the Motor Neurone Association.

“Before my uncle was diagnosed, I had virtually no knowledge of MND,” she said. “I’d vaguely heard of it,
but that’s about it.

“When I found out he had it, I went on a mission to find a cure and look into alternative therapies. I soon learnt
that the diagnosis is quite grim and the future for many sufferers quite bleak.”

For Ian, mentally coping with the disease has been a long and difficult journey.

“Coming to terms with the diagnosis has been extremely difficult.” he said.

“I was physically and emotionally unprepared for the rapid progression and ferocity of the disease – but then
who can prepare for such life-changing news.

“It’s hard to believe that I was celebrating my 50th birthday last year with family and friends, enjoying a few
rums, lots of laughs and all this was ahead of me.

“It is debilitating, frustrating – mentally you are still active and alert, yet physically you progressively lose your coordination, speech and other basic functions a healthy person takes for granted.”

This week wasMotor Neuron Awareness Week and Amber and Ian agreed to share their story in the hope more people could learn about the disease, as with increased awareness comes the increased possibility of a
cure.

Amber is under no illusion that a cure will be found in time to save her much-loved uncle.

But maybe, just maybe it could save yours. And as Ian continues to struggle with the disease and face the changes in his life, he cannot help but wonder why more has not been done to find a cure.

“This is not a new or a mystery disease,” he said.

For more information about motor neurone, visit the website www.mndaq.org.au

Source: Sunshine Coast Daily, Saturday 9 MAy 2009, Page 14.

PRO ART is a Queensland based awareness campaign dedicated to bringing the arts to young artists and bringing their artwork to the public's attention. It is designed to encourage young artists to `give art a go', while raising awareness of Motor Neurone Disease (MND) and the impact it has in the broad community.

The program will reveal 40 highly commended students and showcase the young Queensland talent in Exhibition on June 20.

The late Australian art icon, Kevin `Pro' Hart, was diagnosed with MND in December 2005 and passed away three months later.

The Hart family has endorsed the PRO ART campaign by donating an original Pro Hart painting, “In the Scrub”, 1998, for creative inspiration by school students and artist's alike.

Participants are encouraged to take inspiration from any part or all of the painting “In the Scrub”, adapting and producing it in their chosen medium and style.

The program will commence during MND Awareness Week, May 3 to 11, and schools throughout Queensland will be encouraged to participate in the program.

Teachers within participating schools are provided Educator's Kits, which include all necessary information for the children to become involved including, entry forms, deadlines, artwork specifications and copies of the Pro Hart artwork they are to take inspiration from.

The school that receives the highest number of entries will be presented with a trophy of one of Pro Hart's original paintbrushes. Forty students from throughout Queensland will be selected and recognised with a 'Highly Commended' accolade (decided upon by a board of established Australian artists) and will be given the opportunity to have their artwork published.

From the 40 highly commended five will win trophies of Pro Hart's original paintbrushes.

In the Scrub will be auctioned at MNDAQ's fundraising event on June 20, and the highly commended students will also be invited to showcase and auction their inspirational artworks.

Pro Art is an opportunity to establish an ongoing project that each year will discover artists, promoting growth in the cultural sector and greater engagement of the arts. It is also a vehicle to raising awareness of MND and how the general public can support those living with the disease in their own homes and within our community.

Source: Stanthorpe Border Post, Tuesday 7/4/2009, Page: 13

CHILDREN across Brisbane are about to discover the country's brushstroke master Kevin Pro Hart.

 

Motor Neurone Disease (MND) Association of Queensland is using a Pro Hart painting at the centre of an awareness campaign of the disease and to encourage young people to give art a go.  

Pro Art was launched at West End this month. Special guests were Raylee Hart, wife of the late artist, and his son Kym, who re-enacted his father's carpet technique made famous by television commercials in the late 1980s.

The family has donated In the Scrub 1998, which will be auctioned at the culmination of Pro Art in June.

School students taking part in the program from May 3-11 are encouraged to take inspiration from any part or all of the painting.

They are to adapt and produce it in their chosen medium and style. Forty students will be given highly commended accolades and invited to showcase their works at the June 20 exhibition.

Five of the artists will win trophies.

Hart was diagnosed with MND in December 2005 and died three months later.

 

Colourful canvas ... Kym and Raylee Hart have thrown their support behind Pro Art awareness campaign

Source: City South News, Thursday 19/3/2009, Page: 4

 

 

 

Source: Sunshine Coast Daily, Monday 16/3/2009, Page: 8

 

Source: Sunday Mail Brisbane, Sunday 15/3/2009, Page: 31

Listen to the interview here blogs.abc.net.au

Spencer Howson 612 ABC Brisbane chats with Peta Ellis about the PRO ART awareness project @ 6:20am Tuesday 3 March 2009

Listen to the interview here: http://blogs.abc.net.au/queensland/2009/03/pro-harts-carpe.html?program=612_breakfast

Pro Hart's name has been linked to a program which will raise awareness of the disease that claimed his life nearly three years ago.

His widow Raylee said her family was happy to support the Motor Neurone Disease Association of Queensland's "Pro Art" campaign.

Pro Art is a Queensland-based awareness campaign dedicated to bringing the arts to young people and their artwork to the public's attention.

It is designed to encourage young artists to "give it a go", whilst raising awareness of Motor Neurone Disease (MND) and the impact it has in the broad community.

Mrs Hart said MND - which claimed Pro's life on March 28 2006 – was a crippling disease which
was misunderstood by many.

"Not a lot of people know about it;' Mrs Hart said. "It's a dreadful disease.

“To watch Pro determined to paint but not able to relay what he could see in his mind was frustrating for him and a struggle for us all.

"MND does that in so many ways, whether it be your hands for painting, your feet for dancing or our speech for singing. MND has the ability to take away one's pleasures."

Mrs Hart said her late husband would be happy to have his name associated with the Pro Art campaign.

"Pro would be so proud to see his name and art endorsing the Pro Art Awareness, to see young and emerging artists finding their passion, to feel the pleasure of painting and most importantly
raising awareness about a disease so few people have heard of but so many people are affected by"

The Hart family have donated an original Pro Hart painting "In the Scrub" (1998) for creative inspiration amongst school students and artists alike.

The program will commence during MND Awareness Week (May 3-11) and schools across Queensland will be encouraged to participate by submitting their own artworks.

Forty students from around the state will receive a "highly commended" accolade for their entries, with five set to win trophies of Pro's original paintbrushes.

“In The Scrub" will also be auctioned at the Motor Neuron Disease Association of Queensland's fundraising event on June 20. The highly commended students will be invited to showcase and auction their own artworks at the same event.

Mrs Hart and sons David and Kym will attend a media launch of the program in Queensland on Monday next week. Kym will reenact iconic "carpet pain technique Pro was famous for in the 1988 TV commercial for DuPont Stain master carpet and Raylee will speak at the event.

Meanwhile, Mrs hart said Pro's Wyman Street gallery has been updated to feature only her late
husband's work, as well as some items from his studio.

* Raylee Hart said her late husband Pro would be happy to have his name associated with a program which will raise awareness of Motor Neurone Disease, which claimed his life in 2006.

Source: Barrier Daily Truth, Tuesday 3/3/2009 , Page: 1