Insurance professionals in Melbourne dug deep on Friday to provide life-saving machines for children suffering from spinal muscular atrophy.

The Quill Club raised $50,000 its annual charity luncheon – enough to buy five “cough assist machines” – for the Spinal Muscular Atrophy Association of Australia.

The disease is a genetic condition affecting the nerves that control muscle movement.

The $10,000 cough assist machines help sufferers to clear secretions from their lungs by providing a deep breath of air and then quickly reversing the airflow to simulate a cough.

The association has a small pool of the machines that it provides to people suffering from spinal muscular atrophy.

Its CEO Julie Cini told the audience of around 500 industry professionals the device can also help the lungs develop and grow and allow sufferers to survive and achieve a much higher quality of life.

Ms Cini – who lost her two infant children to the disease – saw the audience raise about $30,000. Then the QBE Foundation and Steadfast Foundation each donated $10,000.

Last year’s event raised $27,000.

Established in 1977, the Quill Club is a networking group for insurance industry professionals.