A former nurse living with motor neurone disease is raising awareness for the progressive neurological condition with a bike ride from Auckland to his home in the Tasman village of Mārahau.
The condition is "a group of closely related disorders that affect motor neurones – nerve cells responsible for voluntary muscle movement", according to Motor Neurone Disease NZ.
Al Rynn, a keen cyclist, was diagnosed with the progressive bulbar palsy variant of the condition in September 2025.
"As an ex-nurse, I knew immediately that I had been diagnosed with a disease that is one of the worst you can get," the 60-year-old said in an online fundraiser on the charity’s website.
Over 400 people in New Zealand are living with the terminal disease at any given time, according to Motor Neurone Disease NZ, with two people diagnosed with the condition each week.
Two people die from the incurable disease every week – equating to around 120 deaths per year.
South Sydney Rabbitohs star Jai Arrow was forced to retire after he was diagnosed with the condition in May – two months before his 31st birthday.
The league player's plight has ignited awareness in the condition, with "bow and arrow" try celebrations a frequent feature of NRL games and spreading to the All Blacks versus Italy Test last weekend.
The Kiwi grandfather, who worked in the Royal Brisbane Hospital ICU for a time, said he first began noticing symptoms of the condition after experiencing "a couple of prolonged 15-minute coughing episodes but put it down to working hard and probably a virus".
In 2024, he developed a "persistent cough" while riding the Tour Divide route that he "put down to riding on dusty roads days after day and high passes".
"But I was sufficiently concerned that I didn’t finish the route completely."
The following year, Rynn said he noticed his voice was beginning to change.
"I went to my GP and organised a CT scan privately of my head as I thought a brain tumour or a cerebral event may have been the cause."
After an assessment with a private geriatrician, Rynn was referred to a neurologist with a working diagnosis of the bulbar variant of MND.
"I was pretty shocked as I’ve always looked after myself – no smoking, minimal drinking, good diet and regular exercise."
Rynn is now raising awareness for the condition with a 1300km bike ride from Auckland back to his home in Mārahau, in the Tasman District, via “small country roads covering areas I haven’t ridden before” – a roughly 16-day journey.
The bike ride began on July 10 was expected to finish on July 26.
“The reason I'm riding in July isn't because I like the cold, I'm just aware as my condition progresses my ability to do such things will be taken from me,” he wrote.
The charity ride has so far raised $8564.09 – 164% of his goal.
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