First published on 
By Lee Scanlon*
Christine and Graeme Neylon pictured in 2019, when Neylon first retired from the Buller District Council. Photo: Supplied
A veteran Buller District councillor has revealed he's been diagnosed with motor neuron disease.
Graeme Neylon told The News today that's why he had not sought re-election to the Inangahua Ward.
Motor neuron disease causes muscle weakness that progressively worsens. It's usually life-shortening and there's currently no cure.
Neylon, a dairy farmer, said he had noticed during calving a year ago that he had less energy than usual. He said it got to the stage where it was an effort to get through the day.
"I had been under monitoring for prostate cancer for more than five years, which resulted in removal surgery in January last year, but the cancer was contained," he said.
"There did not seem to be any obvious explanation and so I went through a long series of medical testing which eliminated causes rather than finding a cause.
"Three weeks ago, I ended up with a neurologist diagnosing motor neuron disease which is due to be confirmed later this month.
"Obviously, it's been a real body blow, but it is what it is."
Neylon said he had been told to carry on living as normal a life as possible. Being a councillor had been a huge part of his normal life, so he had once again thought of putting his name forward - as he had indicated many months ago he would.
"The reality is now I will only have so much energy available each day and I have decided that that energy will be best spent with my family with my newly born eighth granddaughter arriving home from England the other day."
Neylon and his wife Christine have lived in Reefton's Mai Mai Valley since they bought a dairy farm there in 1983. He first stood for the Buller council in 1989, and was unsuccessful, but was appointed to fill a vacancy in February 1992.
He served as deputy mayor under three mayors - Pat O'Dea, Martin Sawyers and Garry Howard.
He challenged O'Dea for the mayoralty in 2007 and later told The News he had achieved his aim - to split the vote so Pat McManus would win.
Neylon decided not to seek re-election in the Inangahua Ward in 2019 but stood again in 2022 and was returned.
He said today his motor neuron diagnosis had come as a shock after 71 years with almost no health problems.
"To get it all in one go is a bit tough to take."
He had a lot of support from health staff and family. His wife Christine is a nurse.
He would have no problem completing his council term, he said.
"It's been a long time (in local government) but it's been a very rewarding time, and I thank the people of the Inangahua Ward for putting their faith in me during that time.
"I am so proud of my daughter Linda for taking up the challenge and have the utmost faith in her ability to represent the people well.
"A big thank you to all those who put their names forward over all those years. Without you we don't have a democracy in Buller.
"And a big thanks to all those I had the honour to serve with. We didn't always see things the same way but that's not a bad thing."
Neylon's daughter, Linda Webb, a first-term councillor, has stood again in the Inangahua Ward and is challenging for the Buller mayoralty.
*This story originally appeared in the Westport News.
