It’s how you respond to adversity that defines you.
Bec Daniher is the Executive Director and spokesperson for FightMND, Australia’s leading charity focused on funding research and improving care for people living with Motor Neurone Disease, a terminal illness with no effective treatment or cure. A former elite athlete and qualified accountant, Bec represented Australia at the 2013 Rowing World Championships in South Korea. That same year, following her father Neale Daniher’s diagnosis with MND, she stepped away from both sport and her professional career to join FightMND, co-founded by her father, Patrick Cunningham, and Dr Ian Davis OAM, as its first employee.
Since then, Bec has played a key role in transforming the organisation into a national movement. She developed the first Big Freeze beanie, now an iconic symbol of the campaign, and has led FightMND’s major fundraising initiatives, The Big Freeze and Daniher’s Drive. Under her leadership, The Big Freeze has grown from a $2 million campaign into one that raises over $20 million annually, powered by strategic partnerships, merchandise, and the support of everyday Australians.
Bec also leads Daniher’s Drive, a regional-focused initiative designed to engage and include remote and rural communities in the broader FightMND mission. The event raises more than $2 million annually and plays a crucial role in connecting the campaign with communities nationwide.
Since its establishment in 2014, FightMND has striven to be disruptors in Australia's MND research landscape. To date the organisation has invested nearly $115.8 million into MND research and projects caring for those with MND. In 2024 alone, FightMND committed $15.4 million to vital MND Cure research supporting 25 research projects and 5 career development awards, including 4 drug development projects to advance promising new drugs or therapies. A further $3.5 million was invested into 10 Care support projects for Australians living with and affected by MND. In the same year, the Big Freeze 10 achieved record-breaking results, raising more than $20 million.
Bec’s work spans campaign strategy, stakeholder engagement, national media, retail partnerships, and merchandise development, with a strong focus on impact, accountability, and community. Today, she speaks with authenticity and purpose about building something bigger than yourself, the power of collective action, and finding strength through adversity.
Talking Points
In Conversation with Bec Daniher
Bec Daniher brings a raw and authentic perspective to this powerful conversation, shaped by her work at FightMND and her experience as the daughter of AFL legend and 2025 Australian of the Year, Neale Daniher.In Conversation with Bec Daniher
As Campaign Director, she shares her experience working with her father and FightMND Co-founders Patrick Cunningham and Dr Ian Davis OAM to establish one of Australia's most impactful charity movements.
This session explores what it means to lead with purpose in the face of unimaginable adversity. With warmth and strength, Bec reflects on the importance of community, of turning intentions into action, and the value of focusing on what you can control.
Audiences will walk away with a renewed sense of perspective, a better understanding of the ongoing fight against Motor Neurone Disease, and inspiration to use their platform, no matter how big or small, to make a difference.
Key Takeaways:
- Lessons in resilience, leadership and mindset from the Daniher family’s lived experience
- Practical insights into leading purpose-driven campaigns that rally national support
- Behind-the-scenes insight into Bec’s work mobilising communities and driving meaningful change through collective action
- A deeper understanding of MND and the ongoing pursuit for a cure
- Inspiration to take ownership, create impact, and stand up for something bigger than yourself
Video
Bec Daniher | Let's Talk - Hamish McLachlan
