Warren "Wozza" Acott is about to ride his old lawn mower from his central Victorian home to Canberra in a message to politicians about the disease that is robbing him of everything.
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The truckie from Toolleen, east of Bendigo, Victoria, was diagnosed with motor neuron disease about seven months ago.
He is not about to let that stop him cutting a path to the nation's capital on the old yellow Greenfield mower he sometimes commandeers as a makeshift wheelchair at his property.
"I do plan to ride for every kilometre but this disease strips you of everything, so if I can't ride it we will put it on the back of the ute and still get there," Wozza said.
"As long as the mower and I keep going we'll make it all the way."
MND is 'your worst friggin' nightmare'
The drive is part of a push to show politicians how many people get the disease and, hopefully, persuade them to do more for the fight.
"If they made MND a 'notifiable' disease it would help a lot in the research and everything else," Wozza said, citing a process that would require doctors to alert authorities when they make diagnoses.
Any extra government help would make an incredible difference to people and organisations involved in the fight against MND, he said.
Having the disease is like being on a "shit highway", Wozza said.
"It's your worst friggin' nightmare you'll ever have. It rips your heart, your soul, your pride, absolutely everything out," he said.
"It chops you down, bit by bit, every day."
Wozza's situation has been made worse by the rapid change from the life he used to lead.
"I've been around farms and trucks all me life. It was getting up at sunrise and going to bed at sunset, working non-stop," Wozza said.
"It's something where you could do everything yourself and then you can't even scratch your own head."
Trek begins on Monday
Things might be difficult but there are many people out there who have stepped in to help, including everyone helping him get his Canberra-trip off the ground.
Wozza paid tribute to the teams at Heathcote Health and Bendigo Health for their help in his treatment journey.
"These people do an absolutely incredible job and they don't get the recognition they deserve," he said.
Wozza plans to start his trek on Monday, March 11 and hopes to arrive by the 22nd.
He has bad news for anyone hoping he will mow any lawns along the way. The mower no longer has any blades.
To follow Wozza's journey, visit the Mow Down MND Facebook page.
Tom O'Callaghan
I grew up in Bendigo and I want to tell your stories.
I grew up in Bendigo and I want to tell your stories.
