Denmark rallies around local couple after cruel double blow of motor neurone disease and breast cancer

The Denmark community is rallying around a local couple hit by a cruel double blow of motor neurone disease and breast cancer. Neale France was diagnosed with MND late last year, a degenerative neurological condition with no known cure. MND damages communication between the brain and the muscles, leading to muscle wastage and making it difficult to talk, swallow and breathe. That devastating diagnosis prompted his wife, Carla, to ask friends to donate to the Motor Neurone Disease Association of WA for her birthday in December. Just weeks later, Mrs France was diagnosed with breast cancer. She was to set have a double mastectomy last week. Mrs France received her shock diagnosis after going in for a regular mammogram with no symptoms. She wanted to stress how important it was for women to have regular mammograms Jill Gow is the owner of Denmark’s Groomers in the Heart, and a friend of the France family. She has decided that part of the proceeds from her business in April will go towards supporting the couple. She has also placed a donations tin in her store. “One day Carla came in and told us about Neale’s diagnosis with MND,” Ms Gowan said. “It’s really heart wrenching — he’s the love of her life and she’s just seeing him deteriorating.” “A couple of weeks ago she came in and said, ‘I’ve got breast cancer but I'll just need to take it out and do a bit of radiation and that type of thing’. They’re that sort of people. “She’s such a beautiful person. They’re a beautiful couple.” Award-winning Denmark artist Pat Pattinson has also stepped up by raffling her original artwork Morning Light with all proceeds going to support the couple. “She’s an amazing artist, she’s won so many awards and she’s donating a painting that we are going to raffle off,” Ms Gow said. “We’ve also set up a fundraising account with Westpac so that people can donate. “We’re a small community but people are so generous. It’s such an amazing town that we’re living in.” Visit the Groomers in the Heart Facebook page to donate.