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The Kids’ Cancer Project is celebrating the collective impact of its Partner Events that have seen 2026 get off to a flying start.
With two Golf Days on the east coast and a Boardroom Lunch held in Sydney, the trio of events have helped to raise over $180,000 for childhood cancer research, the equivalent of what it costs to support one early-career research fellow for a year, helping to future-proof the sector.
The Kids’ Cancer Project CEO, Owen Finegan, says he has been impressed by the commitment of the charity’s corporate community.
“We’re really proud and thankful to have had such a strong response to our first corporate events for 2026,” he says.
“It speaks to the nationwide impact of The Kids’ Cancer Project’s partnerships program, the generosity of our donors and the commitment they have towards childhood cancer research.”
The charity’s fifth-ever ACT Golf Day saw a record 22 teams drive for change in Canberra, raising over $50,000 for kids with cancer.
A $16,000 increase on last year’s total, those in the room were left inspired by former Wallaby Pat McCabe’s detailing of his daughter Charli’s harrowing experience with cancer.
A direct beneficiary of The Kids’ Cancer Project’s research funding, Charli is now in remission, with Pat determined to tell her story in the hopes of creating similar outcomes.
Hole sponsors ACT Steelworks, Benmax, Canberra Airport, Construction Control, Lambert Group, RKDN and Viva Leisure kept the atmosphere buzzing on the course, while the NRL Magic Round tickets sparked a bidding war after lunch. Major Prizing Sponsors Benmax and Thredbo also contributed standout prize packages.
A journey to St Michael’s Golf Club a few weeks later for the first NSW Golf Day of 2026 saw 25 teams help to raise a total of $83,000 on a stellar day.
The fundraising on the court was a hit with the players once again, with a number of sponsors like Sharp EiT, Rondo, Sydney Wyde, Express Glass, Map Talent, On Time Group and QBE hosting a stack of activations throughout.
As the day’s play concluded, Belinda Hall spoke publicly for the first time in the wake of her son Beau Hewitt’s passing.
“In early 2024, we began to notice something was not right. Four doctors ran tests, but nothing showed up. Just after his 12th birthday in March, scans revealed the unbelievable cancer. Stage 4 non-Hodgkin's lymphoma,” Belinda recalled.
“We were suddenly thrown into a world of war words, treatments, and new medical language that we didn't understand, but we clung to hope and tried to be positive.
"After fighting so hard with everything he had, Beau passed away on 18 March 2025.
"His wish was to help other children fight cancer, and our family promised Beau we would do everything we could to make his wish come true and to help by raising money to fight against this hideous disease.
Our family supports as much as we can, and we try to do everything we can to support The Kids' Cancer Project.
It's fantastic because seeing firsthand where that money goes to and being surrounded by sick children in a ward, there's nothing like that.
But please know that any funds that you do donate make a big difference in kids' lives.
The Kids’ Cancer Project’s maiden Boardroom Lunch for the year, hosted in Sydney by Colin Biggers & Paisely, represented an opportunity for professionals interested in supporting childhood cancer research to meet the leadership team and other like-minded individuals.
Featuring presentations from Col Reynolds Fellows Dr Noa Lamm-Shalem & Dr Evie Jackson, attendees were given an opportunity to ask questions of the researchers and dive deeper into the specific aspects of their programs.
In thanking the select group of guests at this boutique event, Chairman, Kaz Naito, highlighted the importance of philanthropy. The lunch ended on a high note, with The Manildra Foundation generously donating $50,000 to support groundbreaking research.
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