Connecting for a cause: Connetix launches packs to raise money for breast cancer and motor neurone disease

Kids can now help find a cure for two debilitating diseases while playing with colourful packs of magnetic blocks.

Toy company Connetix launched two magnetic tile packs on Monday with a pink set created to help fund research for Australian Breast Cancer Research Centre while a teal pack will support FightMND.

With every pack sold, 20 per cent of proceeds will go straight to the charities.

Connetix chief executive Brea Brand’s own mum was taken away from her due to motor neurone disease.

MND is a progressive disease that gradually takes away a person’s use of their limbs, their ability to eat, their speech and ultimately their ability to breathe.

More than 2700 Australians are living with MND with the cause and a cure still unknown.

Ms Brand said seeing her own mum die from the disease after an 18-month battle made it even more important to raise funds for FightMND.

“It’s definitely been something I’ve wanted to do ever since mum was diagnosed,” she said.

“We just hope to raise as many funds as we can and hope that another family doesn’t have to go through what my mum went through and what we all went through.

“Finding a cure is so important for not just the people suffering from MND but trying to find a prevention and the cause of why this is happening so we can stop it.

“If we had a cure and we had found this earlier, my mum would still be here so it’s really important.”

With 90 per cent of the Connetix workforce having a close family member affected by breast cancer, Ms Brand said raising money for the Australian Breast Cancer Research Centre was just as important.

FightMND’s Luke Daniher, the son of AFL champion Neale Daniher who lives with MND, said in the early days after his father was diagnosed there wasn’t a huge amount of awareness.

“But with the community and the support of many others, and this partnership with Connetix, it’s great to have a big army building in this fight against Motor Neurone Disease,” he said.

“You’re only given 27 months on average to live when diagnosed so there is an urgency and we need to make an impact so with every dollar raised it goes towards finding that ultimate treatment and cure for MND.”

His sons Ollie, 3, and Cooper, 6, were two of the first children to get to try out the new pink and teal charity Connetix.

Mr Daniher said it was important to bring fun into the fight against MND.

“Part of the fight against MND and fundraising is to have fun as well so it’s great to bring out that creativity and get families involved in the journey and put money towards research and a cure,” he said.