Former Uni Blues player and clubman, Alastair Evans, recently undertook a challenge of running 270 kilometres from Melbourne to Echuca to raise money for the Snowdome Foundation.
The run, named The Positive Journey, was dedicated to his mum Sally, who passed away in 2016 after living with myeloma, a type of blood cancer, for 19 years.
The journey over four days took Alastair and his team through some of Victoria’s most picturesque countryside following a path so often taken by his mother as she travelled to and from Melbourne for treatment.
Alastair’s team was strongly represented by a past and present Uni Blues cohort, who joined in to both run and ride. Ash McCorkell was instrumental as a support person following Alastair the entire journey on a bike and also joined in for a half marathon on Day 3. On Day 2, Jack Townley, Jack Heinz and Jeremy Taylor braved the Heathcote hills for 30kms while Hugh Evans and Hugh Vickers-Willis dug dig and grinded it out for the entire 55km trek. On Day 1, two current players, Tom Quinn and Marc James, helped lead Alastair out of the city.
The mission of the run was to raise positivity and help others live longer and better lives. In wonderful news, over $150,000 has been raised for the Snowdome Foundation who support some of Australia’s brightest research minds working on innovative research projects aimed at accelerating next-generation treatments for Australians affected by blood cancer. The funds raised will be directed into a pioneering CAR T-Cell therapy trial for those diagnosed with myeloma.
Nearly 2500 Australians are diagnosed with myeloma each year, and this is expected to increase by nearly 30% over the next ten years. Myeloma is currently incurable, making research into new treatments so critical. New advances in immunotherapy such as CAR-T Cell therapy offer real hope for the future.
The four days were filled with happiness, laughter and camaraderie and just a few sore muscles! However most importantly The Positive Journey was just that, and it would have made mum so happy to see the positivity that surrounded me, as she filled her days with positivity and inspired others to do the same.
The 270 kilometre run over four days took me, and those that joined me, along the journey so often taken by mum as she travelled to Melbourne for treatment. As we passed through some of Victoria’s stunning countryside, she was so often in my thoughts, as were the family and friends, my mum’s medical team and Echuca community who supported her and our family over the 19 years she lived with myeloma.
Although we are still receiving donations, I am incredibly excited to let you know that together we have raised over $150,000 for the Snowdome Foundation. Snowdome funds some of Australia’s brightest research minds working on innovative research projects aimed at accelerating next-generation treatments for Australians affected by blood cancer. Donations are still open and if anyone would like to donate they can do-so via this link.
I am proud to announce that the funds we raised together, will be directed into a pioneering CAR T-Cell therapy trial for those diagnosed with myeloma.
Nearly 2500 Australians are diagnosed with myeloma each year, and this is expected to increase by nearly 30% over the next ten years. Myeloma is currently incurable, making research into new treatments so critical. New advances in immunotherapy such as CAR-T Cell therapy offer real hope for the future.
Thank you again for your support. It was a big team effort and over the four days of the run, the support offered by you and so many, spurred me on through each kilometre. Mum would be so proud and happy to know that together we raised over $150,000 to fund research that one day may mean other families will not lose a loved one as my family did.
I am delighted to share a few photos from the journey as well as a film made of the four-day run, captured by my friend and super talented filmmaker Tim Brown, of Grasslands Films.
Yours in positivity
