If you have run or walked the national Mother’s Day Classic over the last 12 years since it began, you have helped raise $5.7 million for research into the prevention and cure of breast cancer.
Individuals like Victorian Lindsay Mullins, the highest fundraiser in that state, have raised tens of thousands of dollars to try and stop the disease that took his young wife and affects 1 in 9 women in their lifetime.
Organisers of the Mother’s Day Classic, Women in Super will host a Thank You function at the Melbourne Town Hall tonight for volunteers and supporters like Lindsay from around Australia, where the Minister for Women’s Affairs, the Hon. Maxine Morand, will be the keynote speaker. Women in Super will present the cheque to the National Breast Cancer Foundation’s CEO Sue Murray at the event.
The presentation comes at a poignant time with October internationally recognised as Breast Cancer Month. It’s expected that over 13,600 new cases will be diagnosed this year, so the funds from the Mother’s Day Classic will continue to support vital research to benefit the thousands of women and families touched by the disease.
Lindsay Mullins has been the top fundraiser in Victoria for the past four years. Sadly, Lindsay lost his wife Filomena to breast cancer in 2003, at just 38. Filomena’s brave fight inspired Lindsay and their children, James and Katharine, to participate in the Mother’s Day Classic which they have done every year since 2003, raising more than $40,000 for breast cancer research.
The 2009 event attracted a record number of participants, with more than 80,000 Australians skipping their Sunday morning sleep in on May 10, to attend events in Adelaide, Brisbane, Canberra, Hobart, Melbourne, Perth, Sydney (the Domain and Parramatta Park) and 28 regional locations. Women in Super National Chair, Louise Davidson, said the event organisers were overwhelmed by this year’s results.
“On behalf of Women in Super, I’d like to thank all the 2009 participants for their generosity and dedication in supporting this year’s Mother’s Day Classic,” Ms Davidson said.
“Australians have embraced the event and the cause behind it, and we’re looking forward to seeing everyone again next year.”
This year, major sponsor of the Mother’s Day Classic, ME Bank also went the extra step by inviting Melbourne participants to register to receive a free pedometer. For every step recorded on the pedometer, ME Bank made a donation to the NBCF. The campaign was highly successful with ME Bank presenting a cheque to the NBCF for $26,912.
For all media enquiries please contact:
Carol Turner - Public Relations Officer, Mother's Day Classic
Tel: (03) 8677 3822
Email: carolturner@mothersdayclassic.com.au
