Mrs Coates’ husband Kerry Coates, a former East Fremantle Football Club premiership player, coach and junior cricket coach, was diagnosed with MND in 2005 and died just two years later.
As one-third of Coatesy’s Crew, Mrs Coates will hit the road with friends Hazel Sturrock, of Bateman, and Eddie Froend, of Hamilton Hill, both of whom have lost loved ones to MND, to raise funds for Motor Neurone Disease Association of WA.
Coatesy’s Crew will be among a convoy of Australian sporting legends including former West Coast Eagles coach Ken Judge and former test cricket captain Kim Hughes, when the MND Drive hits the road in Perth on October 17.
The fundraiser will follow the WA coast for 1500km, visiting Cervantes, Geraldton and Kalbarri before crossing the finish line in Carnarvon on October 20.
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READ NOWMrs Coates said she was taking part in the inaugural MND Drive to help support others who had also been affected by MND.
‘Before Kerry’s diagnosis we knew nothing about MND,’ she said. ‘When he went to see his doctor, we thought he’d had a slight stroke because he was slurring his words, but when we realised what the diagnosis meant, it was just mind-boggling; it rips everything out of you.’
Mrs Coates said they were hoping to make the trek in style, welcoming help from anyone happy to donate or loan a Winnebago. Visit http:// mndawa.asn.au/Content/the_drive.