Community
4 September, 2025
For Jimmy, Bobby and Marie
A GROUP of 18 runners and walkers travelled from Noorat to Terang over the weekend to raise awareness for a disease disproportionately impacting south west Victorians.
The team behind Run for CJD was pounding the pavement over the weekend for the third year in a bid to raise both funds for research and awareness of Creutzfeldt-Jakob Disease (CJD).
The Run for CJD event is held in the south west each year in memory of Jimmy Kenna, Bobby Stewart and Marie Tehan – prominent members of south west Victorian communities who all died to CJD.
This year the team had planned to run from Warrnambool to Terang but, due to lingering strong winds from the storm conditions the night, prior made the decision to shorten the run from Noorat to Terang.
Among those taking part this year was Mark Vaughan, who said the conditions had eased in time for the runners to enjoy the opportunity to take part in something much bigger than themselves.
“CJD is a disease which affects the mind and a few of the members who participate in the run have had family members die from it,” he said.
“We’re just supporting the cause because there isn’t too much awareness.
“Hopefully we’ve been able to increase awareness over the past three years, which I think we have.
“We’ve also raised a fair bit of money.”
The run this year ended at the Terang Recreation Reserve on Saturday prior to the Bloods taking on the Warrnambool Blues.
As part of this year’s event the Terang Mortlake Football Netball Club (TMFNC) held a CJD Awareness Day which included the men’s senior team replacing their traditional red sash with orange – as blue and orange are the colours associated with CJD awareness.
TMFNC president Joel Crawley said the club was proud to be involved.
“It started back at the beginning of the year with Matthew Irving, who is pretty close mates with Joey and James Kenna,” he said.
“As soon as it got mentioned, with the Kennas being an important part of the community, we knew we couldn’t do enough to help out.
“As it got closer, the boys got rolling and everyone jumped on board.
“It’s one of those community things everyone loves to get behind, to get around and do their best.”
Mr Crawley said the decision to alter the club’s iconic colouring was not one taken lightly but also one made proudly.
“Alex Moloney, who has a mate who does the jumpers, mentioned he’d be able to get it done easily,” he said.
“Then to put Jimmy, Bobby and Marie on there means a lot to a lot of people around here.
“It’s a great moment for the boys to run out in the colours – a proud moment for the club because everyone has got behind it.
“It means a lot to everyone around here because whatever we can do to help goes a long way.”
Among the runners was Wannon MP Dan Tehan, who said it was wonderful to have everyone back for another year.
“It’s such a wonderful cause and the way everyone has supported this, to see everyone standing at the gate as we arrived at the oval to clap us in, was terrific,” he said.
“Anything we can do to help with CJD to raise funds and awareness is terrific.
“We also can’t thank the Terang Mortlake Football Netball Club enough for all they’ve done.
“It’s special and I’m so touched because the sash has my mother’s name on it as one of the three.
“It’s incredibly special and the fact they’re doing it shows what a great, community-based club the Bloods are – and that’s what these clubs in the country are all about.”
