Townsville community rallies together in support of local kids brain cancer charity
The Townsville community has turned out in force to get behind local charity The Cure Starts Now with hundreds of trucks and motorcycles cheered on by thousands of spectators.
Townsville
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A CHORUS of triumphant truck horns reverberated around Townsville on Sunday morning in celebration of the 2022 Convoy For The Cure’s record-breaking success.
In its sixth year, the iconic Convoy For The Cure saw a procession of 290 trucks and 49 motorcycles make their way from Webb Drive, Bohle to the Ross River Dam in Kelso.
Grateful locals in their thousands lined the roads to show their support for the convoy which raised a record total of $133,600 for charity The Cure Starts Now, in support of paediatric brain cancer research.
The children’s cancer charity was founded locally by Ren Pedersen after saying goodbye to his nine-year old daughter Amy, who was tragically taken by an aggressive cancer known as Brain Stem Glioma.
The Cure Starts Now Chief Executive Eleni Millios-Hullick was delighted by the support saying there was a record number of participants, spectators, and amount of money raised.
“We have been absolutely overwhelmed this year with the support from the trucking industry and the bike industry, (they’re) just beautiful community people that have gotten behind this event and held it up,” Ms Millios-Hullick said.
“It was phenomenal. Riverway Drive and Webb Drive were lined with people, kids, families, sitting in the back of their boots, kids in chairs, and sitting on blankets.
“It was the most amount of spectators we’ve ever had for Convoy For The Cure and it’s testament to the community.”
A principal dealer from one of the trucking companies told her the convoy gave them the opportunity to “get out, show off their vehicle and feel 100 per cent supported by the community, and raise money for an amazing cause”.
She said more Australian children die from brain cancer than any other disease and those statistics haven’t changed for 30 years.
“There is no treatment and there were no trials before The Cure Starts Now was founded,” she said.
“We now fund research projects into childhood brain cancer all over Australia.
“Last year, we funded three research grants, totalling $475,000 and that money came out of his local community.”
A dedicated participant in the event since its inception, former-Townsville resident Joe Ricketts said he raised thousands before making his way north from Bribie Island to take part in this year’s convoy.
“If we can find a cure for brain cancer, we’re going to save a lot of lives and specifically, little kids. They deserve a life, not a tragic way of passing.”
To donate, visit: thecurestartsnow.org
Originally published as Townsville community rallies together in support of local kids brain cancer charity
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