Charles' & Nola’s World Parkinson’s Day Fundraiser

For World Parkinson’s Day 2021, MSWA ran a campaign highlighting the proven benefits of boxing therapy with a Fightmaster for people living with Parkinson’s.

MSWA Rockingham Client, Charles Van Niekerk, who has been using one of the three Fightmasters MSWA was able to purchase last year, greatly attests to the benefits of boxing in managing his Parkinson’s symptoms. So much so, that he and his family were inspired to hold a community fundraiser to enable MSWA to purchase a fourth Fightmaster for one of our Services Centres.

Charles’ wife Nola and his two sisters-in-law cooked large quantities of a delicious South African street food dish they grew up with called ‘bunny chow’: a hollowed out a loaf of bread filled with bean curry, chicken curry or lamb curry.

Friends and family flocked to Charles’ and Nola’s Success home to buy themselves a Saturday-night-takeaway-to-remember. The amount raised was an incredible $1,650.

“We didn’t expect to make that amount,” says Charles. “Nola was saying that if we make five or six hundred dollars we’ll be happy.”

But their friends and family turned up in droves to show their support.

“We were supposed to start at 4.30pm but people started coming at 3.30pm because they didn’t want to miss out! The lamb curry ran out and Nola had to quickly cook a fourth pot!”

MSWA’s Physiotherapy Manager, James Beckett – who himself attended the event – says he is thrilled that their fundraising efforts will allow him to purchase a further Fightmaster boxing machine for the benefit of people living with Parkinson’s in WA.

Charles too is delighted at the outcome. “It’s a cause that is very important to me. Nola and I really appreciate everyone who came along to our fundraiser.”