Steven Walter Children’s Cancer Foundation’s Around Australia Ride
A group of 18 everyday Australians were given a hero’s welcome today as they rode into Kirrawee after travelling 15,000kms around the country.
They’ve spent the past month taking part in the Steven Walter Children’s Cancer Foundation’s Around Australia Ride, a motorcycling adventure raising money to support research into a cure for childhood cancer.
After kicking off in Tamworth their journey has taken them through some of Australia’s most remote corners, spreading the word about the importance of life saving research and raising vital funds at the same time.
“We set out with the aim of raising $100,000 to go towards research into a cure for childhood cancer, clinical trials and better treatments and we’ve had the most incredible adventure along the way,” said Susan Walter, Co-founder, Chief Executive Officer of SWCCF.
“I’m thrilled to be able to announce that we have smashed that goal, raising in excess of $110,000.
We are very grateful to the many people who so generously contributed to this achievement including our ride sponsor and platinum partner, Hyundai Help for Kids, our riders and their supporters.
Together we continue to work hard towards our vision of one hundred per cent survival for all children with cancer and the prevention of their suffering,” she said.
The riders arrived at Tynan’s Hyundai in Kirrawee, in recognition of the support of ride sponsor Hyundai Help for Kids, Hyundai corporate social responsibility initiative.
Kirrawee is also the location of SWCCF’s head office and was Steven Walter’s home town until he passed away aged 19 in the year 2000 after battling cancer for 8 years.
The arrival celebration was made all the more special as the riders and support crew were met by two young patients James and Jade, who have been undergoing treatment for childhood cancer.
Together they presented each member of the AAR crew with a commemorative medal thanking them for their efforts.
Also in attendance was the Sydney Children’s Hospital Foundation’s Gold Appeal Mobile that has also been on a tour around NSW to visit hospital patients in regional areas over the past month.
The Around Australia Ride crew included 12 motorcycle riders, two pillions and two Hyundai support vehicles with four crew.
SWCCF’s platinum partner, Hyundai Help for Kids, was the official sponsor for the Around Australia Ride, providing a Hyundai iMax and Santa Fe as support vehicles.
“As well as supporting Steven Walter Children’s Cancer Foundation, Hyundai is a proud supporter of the Gold Appeal Mobile tour driving donations for the Sydney Children’s Hospital Foundation.
We are really pleased to welcome the Around Australia Ride home as well as the Gold Appeal Mobile here today.
We are passionate about supporting medical research and families doing it tough in our community,” said Madeline Tynan, Marketing Director & Dealer Principal, Tynan Motor Group.
The 12 riders who participated in the ride paid their own way on the journey so the money raised will go straight towards the funding of cutting edge research at the Children’s Cancer Institute in Sydney and Murdoch Children’s Research Institute in Melbourne, benefiting children all over the country.
Steven Walter Children’s Cancer Foundation (SWCCF) was formed in 2001 for Steven Walter, a young man from Kirrawee who lost an eight-year battle against cancer at the age of just nineteen in 2000.
“Steve didn’t want other children to have to go through what he did, so he asked us to do whatever we could to find a cure.
Over the past 18 years an army of volunteers, corporate sponsors and generous donors have helped us raise $7.5 million for research to find a cure for childhood cancer,” Sue said.
Hyundai Help for Kids is an initiative of Hyundai and Hyundai Dealers, where a contribution from every new Hyundai vehicle sold since its inception in January 2014 has tallied in excess of $6 million.
These contributions are granted to not-for-profit organisations supporting Aussie kids and their families in areas of sport, culture, education, health, community engagement and social welfare initiatives.
About the Around Australia Ride
• Carefully planned to pass through some of Australia’s most spectacular and remote locations, the ride kicks off in Tamworth on 11 May and will finish in Steven Walter’s home town of Kirrawee on 13 June
• From Bundaberg to Broome, Mataranka to Mount Gambier and nearly 80 other towns and cities in between, the 15,000km trip will take 34 days to complete
• In order to participate each rider has gathered sponsorship and will become an SWCCF ambassador in each town and city they visit seeking donations, selling merchandise and raising awareness about the vital work needed to find a cure for children’s cancer
• Riders and support crew will also pay their own way on the trip meaning every dollar raised goes straight to research
• AAR 2018 by the numbers
- 15,000kms
- 34 days
- 80 towns and cities
- 12,000 litres of petrol & 5,000 litres of diesel
- Two sets of tyres for each bike
- 12 months of planning
- the oldest rider is 71 and the youngest is 24 (support crew/relief rider)
- 1 female rider
- 12 riders & 2 pillions
- 2 support vehicles, 4 support crew & 2 trailers
About Steven Walter Children’s Cancer Foundation
Steven Walter Children’s Cancer Foundation (SWCCF) originated in 2001 as the Steven Walter Fund and was incorporated in March 2008 as part of a strategic plan to develop a significant long term fundraising capacity to benefit childhood cancer research in Australia.
The origins of SWCCF lay in the wishes of Steven Walter, a young man who died in 2000 at the age of 19 after an 8 year fight against cancer.
In his final days Steven wrote a powerful letter to his family and friends asking them to raise money for childhood cancer research “so that one day no other kid would have to go through what I’ve been through”.
Vision - “100% survival for all children with cancer and prevention of their suffering”
Mission - To make a difference for children with cancer by raising philanthropic funds for childhood cancer research which can impact on the current clinical standards of care for children with cancer, reduce side effects and improve survival rates.
Commitment - SWCCF is committed to fundraising partnerships offering financial support for vital research so that every child with cancer can be guaranteed a future and an improved quality of life. You can make a difference by helping us with a donation to the SWCCF.
For every 10 children diagnosed with cancer, three do not survive and here in Australia, that translates to three children losing their lives to cancer every week. We believe that is three children too many, and of those who survive many will have chronic health problems as a direct result of their treatments.
There has been significant improvement in the life expectancy of children post diagnosis, however, research and clinical trials are essential to ensure we are continually moving forward toward our goal of 100% survival for ALL children.
You can find more information:
Webiste: https://stevenwalterfoundation.org.au/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/stevenwalterfoundation
About Hyundai Help for Kids
Established in January 2014, Hyundai Help for Kids is a collaborative partnership between Hyundai Motor Company Australia and the 168-strong Hyundai National Dealer Network. The partnership was established to provide grants to a range of organisations focused on delivering assistance to children and the families who support them through sport, culture, education, health, community engagement and social welfare initiatives.
Every time a new Hyundai vehicle is sold in Australia, customers and owners are joining Hyundai and Hyundai Dealers to raise funds for the initiative. To date the program has raised contributions in excess of $6 million and currently supports 18 not-for-profit organisations supporting Australians under the age of 18.
A dedicated communications and resource hub for the Hyundai Help for Kids program, including a suite of social media outlets, offers connectivity points with the organisation, its partners and their ongoing work.
For further information about Hyundai Motor Company’s Corporate Social Responsibility and for all information related to the Hyundai Help for Kids initiative please visit:
Website: www.HyundaiHelpforKids.com.au
Facebook: https://www.Facebook.com/HyundaiHelpForKids
Twitter: https://Twitter.com/HMCAHelpForKids
Instagram: http://instagram.com/hyundaihelpforkids
