Former local and probable chronic traumatic encephalopathy (CTE) survivor Leigh McDonald will be heading up a charity run later this month in support of those suffering with the disease.
McDonald, who played a long and storied local football career with Churchill, will be running a half marathon on Sunday, November 30 at Catani Gardens in St Kilda alongside 99 other runners in an effort to raise $30,000 for the charity ConneCTErs.
Former AFL star Justin Koschitzke will take on the role of event ambassador while several other ex-AFL players will join the run.
CTE is a neurodegenerative disease and is most likely caused by repeated head traumas. It can only officially be diagnosed after death, hence the "probable" part of the name.
Athletes who suffer numerous concussions are more likely than most to suffer from symptoms, which can include issues with memory, mood swings and mental health.
Having completed charity runs before, McDonald is gearing up for his biggest one yet.
"I sort of always have to have a goal now, my life has to be based around aiming for something otherwise I've got no zest, I've got no purpose," he said.
The ultimate goal of runs like this one is not just to raise money for ConneCTErs but to bring more awareness to concussions in sport - and how the lasting damage they cause can be avoided.
McDonald wants to see more funding from the AFL going towards training first aiders at local games to help them fully understand and diagnose a concussion.
"The big issue is who's determining if you're concussed or not?
"The damage is done in the decisions you make after you get a head knock. That's where you get the long term damage.
"We just want one, kids to know it's brave to put your hand up and say your head's not right, but two, know what can happen if you don't."
McDonald now wishes he knew back in his career what he knows now.
"I ended up actually, almost stupidly, wanting to get hurt. I wanted to run into a pack because I wanted to get my teammates up and about. I wanted to make them proud," he said.
Seeing the community come together means a lot to him, but he wants those taking part to do it for the cause above anything else.
"I hope it's got nothing to do with me at all. I hope it's fully got to do with them wanting this changed. That's my goal."
To sign up head to https://raceroster.com/registration/104785/entry
To donate head to https://www.mycause.com.au/page/381863/lace-up-for-cte