Anytime Fitness Cessnock manager Kiera Pyne encouraged members to take a ‘gym selfie’, post it to a dedicated Facebook page and donate to the MS Research Australia campaign throughout May.

Kiera knows all too well the impact of multiple sclerosis (MS), after her sister Kristen Harmer was recently diagnosed with the debilitating disease, not long after having her first child.

“This was a huge shock, something you never expect to happen to such a young, active healthy new mum,” Kiera said.

“What many people don’t realise is that MS affects over 23,000 Australians, three out of four of those are women, with the average age of diagnosis being just 30 years old.”

The gym selfie campaign raised more than $1500, and a morning tea Kiera held with family and friends raised a staggering $6000.

“We have been completely overwhelmed as we were aiming for $1000 to start with,” Kiera said.

“It’s times like these that you realise how many kind and generous people there are out there!”

Multiple sclerosis or ‘multiple scarring;’ is an incurable, chronic, and often disabling disease that randomly attacks and scars the protective insulation that surrounds the nerve fibres (myelin) in the brain and spinal cord.

The progress, severity and symptoms are different for everyone. Symptoms range from tingling and numbness to paralysis and blindness.

MS Research Australia aims to accelerate research into the cause, better treatments and ultimately a cure for MS.

Donations can be made here.

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See a few of Anytime Fitness Cessnock’s ‘gym selfies’ here.