Brave icy water for 30 seconds. That’s all it takes to start standing in solidarity with South Africans living with Motor Neurone Disease!
Johannesburg, South Africa (07 May 2026) – The Motor Neurone Disease Association of South Africa has launched its national campaign, the Cold Courage Challenge, calling on South Africans to take a 30-second cold water plunge in support of one of the most devastating and least talked about diseases.
Motor Neurone Disease is a progressive, fatal neurological condition that attacks the nerves responsible for controlling movement. Gradually and over time, it robs people of the ability to walk, speak, swallow, and eventually breathe. Sadly, there is no cure.
Families who receive this diagnosis walk a long road of enormous emotional, physical, and financial weight. They are often faced with very little support or public awareness. In South Africa, where access to specialised care is already stretched, especially in rural and underserved communities, the fight can be insurmountable.
MNDA SA has spent more than a quarter of a century as the only dedicated national nonprofit standing with these families. They’re there from the moment of diagnosis, through every stage of the journey. They offer personalised support through a network of trained Lay Advisors, equipment loans, caregiver training, counselling, and connection to a community that actually understands what living with MND looks like.
Building toward International MND Awareness Day on 21 June, the Cold Courage Challenge is raising awareness and funds to support the association and the work it does for those suffering from the disease.
It calls on South Africans to take the plunge with a 30-second cold water immersion. This small moment of discomfort that asks you to sit with something hard, in the way MND families sit with something hard every day.
Take a dip in the bath, pool, a dam, or the ocean. Whatever floats your boat. The point is to feel it, share it, and use your moment to shine a light on a disease that deserves far more attention than it gets.
How to Take Part in the Cold Courage Challenge
- Take the plunge. Submerge in cold water for 30 seconds.
- Post your challenge – Film it, share it on social media, and use #ColdCourageChallenge and #MoveForThoseWhoCant. Tag MNDA SA at @MNDAofSA and @mnda_southafrica.
- Nominate three people – Call them out by name and give them 48 hours to accept.
- Donate – Head to the campaign page to make your contribution toward the R200,000 goal.
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Thirty seconds of discomfort is nothing compared to what MND families face every day. Take the plunge, make some noise, and move for those who can no longer move!
To donate or find out more, visit this link.
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