Blog

At MND NSW we have been giving the new eye tracking /eye gaze features in the Microsoft Windows 10 Fall Creators Update 1709 (rolling out October 2017 onwards) a bit of a road test. The short story is that the Eye Control feature in this standard Windows update, when used together with an eye tracking camera (we bought ours for AU$200 - see below), allows you to use your eyes on your Windows computer instead of a keyboard, mouse or touchpad.

In the past year we have worked hard to support our members in achieving key communications needs. We have helped them with the communications challenges presented by daily life. We have reorganised and augmented our team to facilitate the individualised pre-planning and third-party communications necessary to help members aged under 65 years make the most of their NDIS plans. We have continued to work on communicating our cause to the public in order to fund research that will lead to a cure. Read more about our work in the MND NSW Annual Review 2017.

Palliative Care Australia has developed a mobile app, AllowMe!, to assist people to create a community of care around a person at the end of life. AllowMe! supports communities to care for people with a serious illness by making it easier to help in practical ways. Carers and care recipients can list tasks, events and visiting times to provide suggestions of how people can assist.

A very big thank you to Casey Mitchell who organised an MND Awareness Trivia Night in Cooma. Casey said of the night, "I am very happy to announce that thanks to all the generosity of our local communities last night was a success we had a decent turnout of near 50 people and all up raised $1,723." Thank you Casey for all your hard work towards this event and for your support of MND NSW. 

In October MND NSW celebrated National Carers Week by holding three special events for carers. At Gladesville former and current MND carers made the most of the opportunity to forge some new connections and to re-connect with old friends over morning tea.  In Newcastle, the MND Support Group celebrated carers week by including a special morning tea in honour of the amazing carers who were present. In Ballina our MND carers enjoyed an abundant high tea. Many thanks to Carers NSW for providing grants towards the cost of these Carer’s Week celebrations!