Running for love has turned into running for someone you love, with a surge in registrations for the runners’ waves at next month’s Women In Super Mother’s Day Classic.
Recent trends have seen Australians switching from dating apps to running clubs, and this year participants in the Mother’s Day Classic will be lacing up for charity both in the name of love, and in support/memory of someone diagnosed with or having survived cancer.
Australia’s favourite fun run and walk, the Mother’s Day Classic, to be held on Sunday, May 12, has seen a 20 per cent increase in registrations to date, with 34 per cent of those registering to run, 25 per cent up on 2023.
Since the event’s inception in 1998 there have been over 1.6 million participants, and the Mother’s Day Classic community has donated $44 million to the National Breast Cancer Foundation (NBCF) to fund life-saving breast cancer research. Their contributions have helped increase the five-year relative survival rate breast cancer patients from 84 per cent to 92 per cent.
In 2024, the Mother’s Day Classic has taken a monumental step by introducing the Ovarian Cancer Research Foundation (OCRF) as a second beneficiary of fundraising, aiming to increase the five-year relative survival rate for ovarian cancer which is just 49 per cent.
With proceeds from the 2024 Mother’s Day Classic being donated to both the National Breast Cancer Foundation and the Ovarian Cancer Research Foundation, participants can choose to support and fundraise for breast cancer research, ovarian cancer research, or both.
One runner taking part is 12-year-old Sam Byrnes from Patterson Lakes in Victoria, with something special in his stride.
Sam lost his mother Jordy to ovarian cancer in October last year and has taken up running with the goal of tackling the 7km run at the Mother’s Day Classic, and fundraising for research into the disease that took his mum’s life.
Jordy is with Sam in every step of training, as he wears her runners in her honour, his motivation and inspiration to keep on running. Sam has raised more than $3000 so far.
Mother’s Day Classic CEO, Zara Lawless, said the increase in registration numbers is a great testament to the timely expansion of the event.
“2024 has already been a big year for the Mother’s Day Classic, with the inclusion of the Ovarian Cancer Research Foundation as a beneficiary alongside the National Breast Cancer Foundation. And the increase in early registrations is a positive step towards funding vital research for two of the most harmful cancers in women,” said Lawless.
“For the last 26 years we’ve been grateful for the contribution from the Mother’s Day Classic community, which has produced a remarkable impact on breast cancer stats. However, the job is not done, and we now look ahead to also making a difference in the numbers of the ‘silent killer’, ovarian cancer.”
Registrations are now open for the 27th Mother’s Day Classic at mothersdayclassic.com.au.
For further information please contact:
Michelle Stamper
Stamping Ground
michelle@stampingground.com.au
0413 117 711
In 2024, Mother’s Day Classic participants will have the option of taking part in support of and fundraising for breast cancer research, ovarian cancer research, or both.
Proceeds from the Mother’s Day Classic go to the National Breast Cancer Foundation and the Ovarian Cancer Research Foundation in accordance with the selection of MDC event participants. There is still so much work that needs to be done to ensure that women can live free of breast and ovarian cancer in the future.
Breast cancer is the most commonly diagnosed cancer in women in Australia and sadly, 9 Australians die from it every single day. That tally rises to 12 with the inclusion of the most lethal gynaecological cancer, ovarian cancer. One death is too many.
In the 26-year history of the Mother’s Day Classic, $44 million has been donated to fund game-changing breast cancer research. In 2024, we are going further and inviting MDC participants to run or walk and accelerate progress towards the day that no Australian families suffer the devastation of losing another woman to breast or ovarian cancer.
Facebook: facebook.com/mothersdayclassicaus
Instagram: instagram.com/mothersdayclassicaus/
LinkedIn: linkedin.com/company/mother's-day-classic/
X: twitter.com/MDC_walk_run
Hashtags: #mothersdayclassic #mdc2024
Founded by: Women In Super is an industry body that advocates for superannuation policies to improve women’s economic security. WIS is also a national member organisation consisting of women working within the superannuation and related financial services industries, who, in 1998 established the Mother’s Day Classic, to raise money in the hopes that finding a cure for breast cancer would mean more women would live long enough to access their superannuation. In 2024, WIS, is proud to support the Mother’s Day Classic in expanding its impact to include ovarian cancer research.
NBCF: The National Breast Cancer Foundation (NBCF) is Australia's leading not-for-profit organisation funding world-class breast cancer research towards our vision of Zero Deaths from breast cancer. Since our inception in 1994, NBCF has invested $216M into 622 world-class research projects across Australia. In this time, death rates from breast cancer in Australia have reduced by 43%. We've seen remarkable results, but the job is not done. At NBCF, we’re determined to create a better tomorrow. We know research matters, and it is central and critical to improving breast cancer outcomes. That’s why we fund the very best breast cancer research in Australia by awarding grants via an open national, competitive and rigorous peer review process.
OCRF: The Ovarian Cancer Research Foundation (OCRF) is Australia’s leading independent funder of ovarian cancer research. With the support of philanthropic, corporate and community supporters, the OCRF’s mission is to fund the most innovative research with the greatest impact upon survival and quality of life for anyone experiencing an ovarian cancer diagnosis. The OCRF distributes research grants through a rigorous international peer review process, supporting Australian-led research in four priority areas: Early detection; Improved treatments; Reducing recurrence; Prevention and cure. Our goals are step-change in funds raised and research undertaken; to increase the 5-year survival rate from 49% to greater than 90%; and to provide hope, advocacy, agency, and engagement for our community of patients, supporters and families.
Proud Major Partner – ME Bank
ME Bank believes that money can do good. That’s why ME’s been a proud sponsor of the Mother’s Day Classic since 2005, donating over $2 million to breast cancer research through product and staff initiatives. In 2024, our 20th year as major sponsor of the Mother’s Day Classic, we’ll be joining the fight for ovarian cancer too. It’s another way we can help do good for more good causes. Find out more about our partnership at mebank.com.au.
Contact details:
Michelle Stamper
Stamping Ground
michelle@stampingground.com.au
0413 117 711
