Evandale couple Marty and Michelle Roberts' mission to help sick kids

A FAMILY tragedy motivated Michelle and Marty Roberts to raise more than $400,000 for terminally ill children and their families.

A FAMILY tragedy motivated Michelle and Marty Roberts to raise more than $400,000 for terminally ill children and their families.

The Evandale couple founded the Sam Roberts Family Fund in memory of their four-year-old son Sam, who died in 2005.

Every two years, the charity hosts Cycle4Sam - a fundraising bike ride where more than a dozen cyclists ride thousands of kilometres across some of Australia's most challenging terrain.

All proceeds from the event go to the Women's and Children's Hospital's palliative care ward, which looked after Sam as he fought a rare neurological disease.

"We want to remember Sam in a positive light and feel that he's part of our family still," Mrs Roberts said. "This is our way of doing that."

Since the first ride in 2006, the couple have raised more than $400,000, which has helped pay for a family care unit at the hospital.

"The Sam Roberts Family Care Unit allows parents and siblings to be alongside the child during their hospital stay," Mrs Roberts says.

"There are some home comforts in the unit - like a big-screen TV- which make a huge difference and hopefully make the experience a little less scary for families."

The Sam Roberts Family Fund has also helped establish an art therapy program at the hospital.

"Our family found that tapping into creative projects helped us deal with our sense of grief and loss," Mrs Roberts says.

"We have helped employ an art therapist to work with families, children and their siblings to help them express how they feel."

The East Torrens Messenger has nominated Mr and Mrs Roberts for a Pride of Australia Award in the Care and Compassion category.