The Power of Choice

'The past is over. The future isn't promised. But what you do next is your choice for the taking. It's where the change happens. Choose wisely.'

Neale Daniher is in his thirteenth year of living with Motor Neurone Disease. His body is broken and he can no longer speak, but his mind is sharp and his capacity to give, unvanquished.

With the terminal diagnosis came a choice: to retreat into the comfort of home and family, or to look for opportunity in the darkest of times.

Neale - a thinker, a taskmaster, a competitor - chose to fight, not just for his life but for those who will be diagnosed in the future. His tireless work with FightMND has mobilised millions of Australians to help combat the cruel killer he calls The Beast.

Neale shares with us what he wishes to pass on to his six grandkids, to help them harness the power of choice and make good decisions. Lessons on choosing your attitude, being courageous and accepting responsibility sit beside advice on practising gratitude, valuing actions over words and making the world a better place - all leading towards getting the most out of ourselves and staying in the driver's seat of our own lives.

Written with the clarity, wisdom and huge-heartedness of a man who has chosen to dedicate his final years to the service of others, The Power of Choice is an urgent reminder to use our agency to give, to love and to make every minute count.

About the Author

Neale Daniher AO is a co-founder of FightMND, a charity that has raised over $130 million for medical research to find a cure for Motor Neurone Disease. Neale coached Melbourne FC for ten seasons and is a former AFL footballer with Essendon FC. He was diagnosed with MND in 2013.

Neale was elevated to Officer of the Order of Australia in 2021 and named Australian of the Year in 2025. His bestselling memoir When All is Said & Done won the ABIA Biography Book of the Year. He and his wife, Jan, live in Melbourne and are the proud parents of Lauren, Luke, Bec and Ben, and loving grandparents to six children.