Two sisters are taking on the Eureka Stair Climb for their father’s sake.
Bree and Samantha, daughters of Werribee identity Rick Wolany, will climb 88 floors on November 13 to raise money for research into an illness that has changed their father and his life forever.
Rick, who was once fit and active, now suffers from progressive supranuclear palsy (PSP) – a rare neurological condition that affects parts of the brain that control eye movements, walking, balance, speech and swallowing.
“He’s okay, but he’s not getting any better,” Bree said. “It’s just a horrible disease.
“It’s heartbreaking, but the family is doing the best we can.”
“Dad used to run the Rialto Run every year, so we thought doing the Eureka Climb this year would be a nice way to honour him while raising funds and awareness of PSP.”
The sisters have been training for months in the lead-up to the climb, tackling stairs right across town.
“Not much is known about PSP, and not many people know it even exists,” Bree said. “It’s diagnosed under Parkinson’s, but it’s not Parkinson’s. There are only about 1500 people in Australia with it.”
The Wolany sisters last year raised $37,000, which funded a research fellowship at Melbourne University.
They’re aiming high again this year. Donations to: www.give.everydayhero.com/au/run4areason-psp-2016S
