Childhood Cancer Awareness Month: Celebrating our impact in making a difference
2025-10-01
The Kids’ Cancer Project is proud to have raised significant awareness and funds for childhood cancer research throughout Childhood Cancer Awareness Month in September, with an array of events, appeals and campaigns.
The month began with The Kids’ Cancer Project’s inaugural Research Symposium, which brought together the organisation’s funded researchers from across the country to share updates on their projects as well as develop greater networking and collaboration through different functions and events.
Members of the Research Advisory Committee – which includes three new appointees in Dr Steven DuBois, Dr Nic Waddell and A/Prof Pouya Faridi – were present, along with Board Directors, CEO Owen Finegan and Founder Col Reynolds OAM, as well as The Kids’ Cancer Project staff and major contributors.
September 1 saw the launch of The Kids’ Cancer Project’s annual Better Challenge, in which fundraisers run or walk 90km throughout the month of September to raise awareness for the 90 Aussie kids that are with cancer diagnosed every month.
The challenge began with a special 90km run in Sydney by The Kids’ Cancer Project staff member Dan Talintyre, who was joined by various media and sporting personalities, while Better Challenge ambassador Ash Thomas – an osteosarcoma survivor – helped launch the event in her hometown of Newcastle on the NSW North Coast.
Proud corporate partners WOTSO also held a special event at North Head later in the month, with the over 1,000 fundraisers going on to raise over $290,000 to help fund better treatments, better outcomes, and better cancer care for Aussie kids with cancer.
Throughout September, writers across the country continued to take part in our biggest (and most successful) Write a Book in a Day competition in history, which ended on the final day of the month. For the first time ever, the competition raised over $1 million, with a grand total of $1.23 million raised by an incredible 16,661 writers across 569 schools and writing groups to help fund vital scientific research.
Judging is now underway for the competition, with the winning books to be announced in November before being given to hospitals across the country.
As part of Childhood Cancer Awareness Month, The Kids’ Cancer Project was proudly supported by its community champions, who have helped to fundraise their way throughout the local community.
The annual Shine Bright event raised over $60,000 while Sydney restaurant Delhi ‘O’ Delhi also raised over $15,000, with Mark Pacey’s annual Bloody Long Day already raising over $50,000 and adding several new fundraisers to The Kids’ Cancer Project’s community.
Millie Trustum – who proudly featured as our K’day ambassador earlier this year – held a special fundraising event in Casino, with Col Reynolds Fellow Rachel Edwards joining our founder, Col, on the day, which raised close to $30,000. Still only a teenager and currently in the middle of cancer treatment herself, Millie has raised almost $100,000 for The Kids’ Cancer Project and continues to be an incredible illustration for the difference that one person can make in funding research.
The last of our NSW Netball fundraisers also wrapped up, with a staggering $60,000 raised by associations right across the state taking part in Crazy Hair and Sock Day – the highest amount raised for the campaign in over seven years!
The start of Spring brought with it our annual Spring Appeal, with over $107,000 raised by our generous donor community. The story of Lisa Christy and her children highlighted the importance of funding research which develops better and more effective treatments. Lisa and her husband Aaron attended and spoke powerfully at our Spring Golf Day event at Little Bay, which went on to raise over $102,000 thanks to the generosity of our proud corporate partners present on the day – a record amount for a golf event hosted by The Kids’ Cancer Project.
That was one of several corporate events throughout the month, including Bromic’s annual R-R-R for a Reason event – which raised over $30,000 – TomKat Roofing’s golf day event, and our annual NSW Boardroom Luncheon, which Col Reynolds Fellows Dr David Mizrahi and Dr Aaminah Khan both attended and spoke at.
The BSR Group contributed $25,000 to The Kids’ Cancer Project as part of a new partnership between the two organisations, with an additional $70,000 raised by BSR employees who took part in our Better Challenge.
The Kids’ Cancer Project CEO Owen Finegan paid tribute to the extensive awareness and funds raised by the organisation’s community and partners throughout the month and highlighted the need for continued work in childhood cancer research.
“On behalf of the entire organisation, I want to recognise and celebrate the achievements by everyone throughout Childhood Cancer Awareness Month,” he said.
“Raising awareness is a critical part of what we do at The Kids’ Cancer Project, as we know the statistics that need to change. Every day, three kids are diagnosed with cancer and every week, three kids unfortunately pass away due to the disease.
“Those are numbers that we are all determined to change, and it’s only through scientific research can we truly make a difference and ultimately, develop a world where no child dies from cancer.
“September has shown to us the proof that every person can make a difference, and I’m incredibly thankful for all the ongoing support and generosity by so many in The Kids’ Cancer Project community, as well as the tireless work of our staff who have helped to have a profound impact throughout Childhood Cancer Awareness Month.”
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