When Rachel Rollason was diagnosed with motor neurone disease (MND) her colleagues and friends at Toyota GB in Surrey were determined to make a difference.
Driven by Rachel’s story and her immense courage, the staff at Toyota GB – one of the biggest car manufacturers in the world – voted overwhelmingly to partner with the MND Association with one clear aim – changing lives.
After she died in 2022, the team at Toyota GB extended its original three-year partnership by another year, and then again by another two years until 2027. Inspired by her memory, Toyota GB has raised an incredible £875,000 to date and is on course to become the Association’s first £1m corporate partnership.
MND is a devastating disease which attacks the nerves that send messages to the muscles. It moves fast. It strips people of their independence, leaving many people unable to speak, move or breathe for themselves. Six people are diagnosed every day – there is no cure.
The MND Association, which was founded in 1979, is the largest MND charity in the UK. As well as ensuring people with MND and their families have the support and information they need, the Association is a global leader in the fight against MND, funding world class research into potential new treatments.
As the MND community prepares to mark Global MND Awareness Day on June 21, celebrating the special days that matter to people with MND and their families, the Association’s partnership with Toyota GB is one which continues to drive lasting change.
Through countless fundraising events and special days, which have included sponsored walks, auctions, a 420-mile bike ride, a 100km Thames walk which raised £120,000 in just two days and many others, the team at Toyota GB has pulled together to help raise vital funds and awareness of a disease that affects around 5,000 people in the UK at any one time.
The money raised over the past five years has already enabled the Association to take even greater steps forward in the practical assistance it offers to people living with MND, including grants for wheelchair adaptations, specialist equipment and essential services that improve independence and quality of life.
With the aim of Mobility for All, Toyota Motor Corporation continues its research on robots that coexist with humans, undertaking collaborative research around the world using the Human Support Robot. The aim is to develop a society where robots can play an active role in various fields including people living with disabilities such as MND to improve quality of life.
Chief Executive of the MND Association, Tanya Curry said: “We couldn’t be more grateful to our partners at Toyota GB, who have done so much over the past five years to support the Association and the important work we do.
“Their extraordinary efforts help us to go even further in the fight against MND, enabling us to fund life-changing care and support for people affected by this devastating disease, while accelerating ground-breaking research into the causes of MND, which bring us ever closer to the promise of effective new treatments.”
More information about how to get involved in Global MND Awareness Day is available on the MND Association website.
To learn more about how your business could make a difference to people living with MND and their families call 01604 611888 or email corporate@mndassociation.org
