Natalie Gauld: adventuring with motor neurone disease

Natalie Gauld was diagnosed with Motor Neurone Disease a year ago, and she is determined to experience many of the country's Great Rides while she can.

Natalie and husband Matt at the start of the Alps to Ocean trail with Lake Tekapo in the background. (PHOTO: supplied by Natalie Gauld)

Kerri Miedema, Natalie and her husband Matthew on Totara Bridge, West Coast Wilderness Trail (PHOTO: supplied by Natalie Gauld)

Natalie with Kerri Miedema (PHOTO: supplied by the University of Auckland)

Natalie Gauld on her Motom, designed by Bachelor of Engineering graduate Andrew Nash. (PHOTO: supplied by the University of Auckland)

Natalie Gauld inspects, and is inspected by, a weka on the West Coast Wilderness Trail. (PHOTO: supplied by the University of Auckland)

Dr Gauld has always fitted in lots of physical activity alongside a busy professional life and she says now biking adventures with her husband Matt is a great opportunity to raise money for the disease Motor Neurone Disease support and research.

She was recognised in this year's New Years' honour for a lifetime of leadership in medicines reclassifications and has been at the forefront t of having many medicines reclassified so they can be dispensed in pharmacies - including oral contraceptives, and Viagra which is also known as Silvasta.

Dr Gauld is an honorary senior lecturer in pharmacy and paediatrics senior research fellow at the University of Auckland.