As Father’s Day dawned in Brisbane, almost 40,000 people lined up in the chilly weather to take part in the annual Bridge to Brisbane race. In amongst the crowds of competitors were 28 supporters of the Australian Cancer Research Foundation (ACRF) who had their own personal reason for taking part in the race along with cancer fundraising.
The group of ACRF runners were a range of ages, abilities and people from different areas of life coming together with a common goal to support the future of cancer research. Team member Julia is a medical researcher at the Institute for Molecular Bioscience who has worked in cancer research in the past and has a passion for funding the talented scientists involved in medical research. Amber is a radiation therapist who helps to treat cancer everyday and wanted to use her love of running and training to help support those who she meets in her job. And for many others there were loved ones in their lives who had beaten cancer, were currently fighting cancer, or had sadly been lost to cancer – and this run was a way to acknowledge those wonderful people.
The event being held on Father’s Day even added some extra motivation for many team members who felt it was a fitting gesture to support cancer research in their run on this day in particular – having lost their fathers and grandfathers to cancer. This group of competitors and their supporters emphasised, as runner Jenni said, the fact that “Everyone knows someone who has been affected by this terrible disease. The more support that foundations such as yours receive that input into research on treatment and prevention, the closer we are to hopefully finding a cure one day”.
Race day was a great success with a wonderful atmosphere helping to spur the competitors on across the course. Many personal bests were set, and so many participants pleasantly surprised, and in some cases overwhelmed, by the generosity of their family, friends and colleagues who contributed to their fundraising for ACRF.
The ACRF would like to send a great big thank you to the 28 fantastic runners and their supporters for raising over $5,000 for cancer research. Congratulations to our supporters – you did us all proud – thanks Amber, Angela, Annemarie, Ashlee, Briana, Cornelia, David, Debra, Elizabeth, Fraser, Jacinta, Jasmine, Jenni, Josh, Joshua, Julia, Laura, Leah, Lillian, Lydia, Maria, Oliver, Phuong, Sarah, Stacey, Stephanie, Teresa, Truong!
Check out our list of upcoming events you can be involved in for cancer research.
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