Hi there!  

In October 2019, I will be attempting one of the world’s most iconic treks through the Tasmanian Wilderness World Heritage Area. The trek covers 65km over 6 days through some of the most stunning bushland Australia has to offer, summiting both Cradle Mountain and Mount Ossa (the tallest mountain in Tasmania), the trek ends at Lake St Clair, the deepest lake in Australia.

There is no doubt that despite the lovely scenic walk this sounds like, it’s not a simple stroll through the bush. For some of us, simply the challenge of roughing it in tents with no running water is enough!

This trek is being done for The Adventurers, an initiative of the Pirate Ship Foundation. This organisation raises funds for vital research into childhood brain cancer – which kills more Australian children than any other disease – to discover better treatment options for children with brain cancer and ultimately a cure. Currently, even in the most fortunate of cases, treatments are so damaging to a developing brain and body that they leave severe, irreversible and life-long side effects. You can read more about the charity and the cause here: www.pirateshipfoundation.com.au.

Our trek is being done in honour of Abigail, who was diagnosed with Medulloblastoma (the most common form of brain tumour in children) at the age of 4 ½. While Abigail remains cancer free, the side effects of her treatment (which included surgery, radiation and chemotherapy) are severe and life-long. They include an inability to grow without daily injections of hormone, thyroid damage, lung damage, loss of taste, permanent loss of hair, hearing loss, cataracts and significant neuro-cognitive impairment. As Abigail grows she is becoming more aware of her differences, and despite the remarkable strength she has shown and what she has endured to simply be here – she would give anything to be like the other girls in her year, and be able to keep up.

The way forward is clear – better treatments are needed. Thankfully – there is the most amazing team of researchers right here in Perth – at the Telethon Kids Institute in the Brain Tumour Research Program, working as part of a global collaboration initiative to achieve happy, healthy children free of brain cancer.

The funds we raise in doing this adventure will be sent to a new project undertaken by this team. They will study a new treatment aimed at teaching the body’s immune system to recognise cancer cells and attack them as they would for a viral infection. If successful, this approach has the potential to be less damaging than other treatments, resulting in a much improved quality of life for children during and after therapy.

To get such a project underway – we aim to raise a minimum of $50,000 - but of course the more we can raise the better.

A massive thankyou and wishing you all the best!

Donations made through this platform are secure and will be remitted directly through to the Pirate Ship Foundation. Thanks so much for your support!