HAVING a bucket of ice-cold water dumped on your head isn’t a pleasant experience but the officer-in-charge of the Margaret River police braved a chill to raise awareness about a cause close to his heart.
Sergeant Brett Cassidy and Inspector Kim Hutchinson from the South West District office completed the ice-bucket challenge to help raise awareness for Motor Neurone Disease (also known as amyotrophic lateral sclerosis or ALS for short) which has impacted Sgt Cassidy’s on a personal level
“I lost my cousin to the disease and so I wanted to raise community awareness and nominated myself and Inspector Hutchinson for the challenge,” he said.
“Two Australians are diagnosed with it every day.
“I wanted to show that no matter who you are, you can help raise awareness about this tragic disease.
Motor Neurone Disease is an illness which the nerve cells (neurones) controlling the muscles that enable us to move, speak, breathe and swallow undergo degeneration and die.
So far there is no cure and no effective treatment but Sgt Cassidy hopes that the ice bucket challenges will help raise community awareness about it so a cure can be found.
After drying off Sgt Cassidy donated $150 to the Motor Neurone Disease cause and has nominated several of his South West police peers for the challenge as well.
“I have nominated [South West Police] Superintendent Peter Hatch, Inspector Geoff Stewart and Inspector Peter Davis and Inspector Hutchinson has nominated Busselton officer-in-charge Senior Sergeant Steve Principe and Dunsborough officer-in-charge Sergeant Pete Bahen,’ he said.
