By Emma Xerri
With just under a month left before fundraising closes on 30 June, the team behind Lysterfield’s Mother’s Day Classic are urging the community to continue their support for the cause.
“Our event is a very popular one and it’s always one of the first to sell out in Australia,” event coordinator Carol Bosward said.
“We used to go to the city event and it was just so overcrowded, so we thought, ‘we’ve got a beautiful lake right here, why don’t we register and see if we can get this event up and running.’ and we did.
“The first year we had about 300 people, and this year we sold out and had to turn people away.”
Since launching the Lysterfield event in 2012, Carol and co-organiser Sandra Rotunno, along with the support of their volunteers, have brought the community together to raise more than $220,000 for life saving breast cancer research, while the 1.6 million participants of Classics across the country have raised a cumulative $44 million.
“We usually raise over $20,000 each year from the event, and last year it was over $30,000,” she added.
“This year we have raised funds from registrations, a mini market day and a raffle, which alone raised over $3000.
“But the total amount raised is out of our control, unfortunately. It’s up to the people that come along to the event to decide what they do with their fundraising.”
When individuals and groups register for the Classic, they can continue to raise funds by sharing their fundraising page or holding events like morning teas and ticketed dinners.
Breast cancer survivor and 2024 event ambassador Wasana Fernando, has been a prime example of the difference individuals can make when they come together for a cause, joining with 36 of her nearest and dearest to raise more than $5000 as Team Tiny.
“The Mother’s Day Classic isn’t just a walk; it’s a beacon of hope, resilience, and unity in the fight against cancer. You’re making a tangible difference in the lives of countless individuals and families affected by this disease,” Wasana said.
“That’s why I’m all in for the Mother’s Day Classic – because every person battling this beast deserves a champion in their corner.”
One common thread tying these fundraising efforts together is the sense of community and support that they foster, bringing together survivors and loved ones to remember and celebrate the strength of those affected.
“Myself and my girlfriend have both seen the devastating impacts of breast cancer on close friends and on people we have worked with over the years,” Carol said.
“But we’ve also seen the difference these funds have made for people trying to survive breast cancer, and we want to make that same difference for those diagnosed with ovarian cancer.
“For ovarian cancer, there are 1800 people diagnosed every year, but there are 1000 who don’t survive.”
Currently, the average five year survival rate for ovarian cancer is just 49 per cent, with treatment, early detection, and preventative medical research advances having been limited.
Meanwhile, support from fundraising achieved through the Mother’s Day Classic has contributed to the increase in the five-year survival rate for breast cancer from 84 per cent to 92 per cent since the Classic started in 1998.
“Our funds have gone towards reducing the number of lives lost to breast cancer, due to improved treatments and early detection, and events like this also serve to raise awareness throughout the community.
“Equally important is the opportunity the Classic provides for people to bond over their grief and their success stories.
“The Mother’s Day Classic is also an opportunity for people who have loved ones going through breast or ovarian cancer to do something that they know can go towards making a difference.”
Mother’s Day Classic fundraising is open until 30 June, and donations can be made directly through the https://www.mothersdayclassic.com.au. All proceeds from the Mother’s Day Classic will be donated to the National Breast Cancer Foundation (NBCF) and the Ovarian Cancer Research Foundation (OCRF), and to funding important research projects.
To get involved as a volunteer or a sponsor, visit the Mother’s Day Classic Lysterfield Facebook page.
