Mother's Day Classic Foundation

The Mother’s Day Classic was founded in 1998 by Mavis Robertson AM, former National Chair of Women in Super (WIS) and Louise Davidson AM. Mavis witnessed a breast cancer fun run overseas and she and Louise were inspired to create something similar in Australia. Together they planted the seed among the Women in Super (WIS) network. 

At the time, Industry Superannuation firms were noticing that breast cancer was one of the common reasons for accessing death and disability benefits. Creating an inspiring event to raise critical funds for breast cancer research was the perfect way for WIS to advocate for women’s health and so the Mother’s Day Classic was born. 

Just over 3,000 Australians registered for the first Mother’s Day Classic in 1998 with events held in both Melbourne and Sydney. Twenty five years later, over 1.6 million Mother's Day Classic fans have united on Mother’s Day in every corner of Australia to stand stronger together. The Mother’s Day Classic has become an inspiring, community-driven tradition for tens of thousands of Australian families who want to start their Mother’s Day with purpose and show support for a cause that affects so many. 

Since 1998, $44 million has been donated to the National Breast Cancer Foundation to fund vital breast cancer research. 

Thanks to research, the relative five-year survival rate for breast cancer has increased from 84 per cent to 92 per cent over this period. However, there’s still more to be done to achieve the goal of zero deaths from breast cancer.  

Tragically, treatment advances in ovarian cancer have been limited, and treatment approaches have barely changed in 30 years. The survival rate for ovarian cancer is just 49 per cent and there remains no early detection test. 

That's why, in the 2024, the Mother's Day Classic Foundation has decided to go even further and also raise funds for the Ovarian Cancer Research Foundation.  2024 Mother’s Day Classic participants will be provided with the option of taking part in support of and fundraising for breast cancer research, ovarian cancer research or both. 

From this day on, we’ve made it our mission to stop both ovarian cancer and breast cancer in their tracks.

Women in Super is a not-for-profit organisation that works to improve women’s retirement outcomes by advocating for a super system void of gender-based inequality. The organisation of the Mother’s Day Classic aligns with their work in promoting better retirement prospects for women so they can enjoy a happy and healthy retirement. 

Learn more

Download a copy of the Women in Super Mother's Day Classic 2023 Annual Report.

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MDC Foundation LTD Board

Leeanne Turner

Chair

Jocelyn Furlan

Director

Nicole Oborne

Director

Melissa Birks

Director

Robert Pickering

Director

Stephen Reilly

Director

Zara Lawless

Director and CEO

Sue Field

Director

National Advisory Committee Representatives

Loretta Drago

Victoria
Royal Australasian College of Surgeons

Michelle Ceguerra

Queensland
Equipsuper

Siobhan Glyde

Australian Capital Territory
Commonwealth Superannuation Corporation

Mel Warman

New South Wales
Boobs on the Run

Lisa Robertson

Tasmania
Womensport and Recreation Tasmania

Stacy Klousia

Tasmania
CREATE Foundation

Carmen Abi-Saab

Local (regional) event representative
Port Macquarie, NSW

Renee Zimmermann

South Australia
UniSuper

Jordan Tuit

Northern Territory
Hostplus

Mother's Day Classic Foundation would also like to extend our sincere thanks to all the wonderful individuals who sit on our State Committees  and other volunteer working groups.