Steven Walter Foundation

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SWCCF contributes $150,000 to Gold Telethon 2014

Gold Telethon Cheque Presentation of $150,000 with Sue Walter and Leanne WarnerAs a major supporter of the Sydney Children’s Hospital Foundation, the Steven Walter Children’s Cancer Foundation (SWCCF) was proud to contribute $150,000 to the Gold Telethon 2014 to help sick and injured children of NSW and beyond.

 

The funds were raised through the efforts of SWCCF through events like the Snowy Ride and Around Australia Ride, the generosity of SWCCF sponsors and everyday Australians who dug deep and helped make the donation possible.

 

SWCCF and many other worthy organisations and companies combined to push the total amount raised through the Gold Telethon 2014 past last year’s total to an astounding $4.6 million.

 

Director of SWCCF, Sue Walter, presented the cheque and explained the motivation behind SWCCF’s efforts to raise money to work towards 100% survival for all children with cancer and the prevention of their suffering.

“Over the past three years, we’ve contributed more than $825,000 to the Sydney Children’s Hospital Foundation through the Gold Telethon. I’d like to thank our platinum sponsors HondaMPE Australia and Snowy Hydro Ltd and gold sponsor Hyundai Motor Company Australia for their continued support in helping us achieve these goals. I’d also like to thank the many hard working volunteers who help us continue to work towards our mission to make a difference for children with cancer,” Sue said.

 

The money raised through Gold Telethon 2014 will help to purchase vital pieces of medical equipment and support research and critical frontline services across all areas of the Sydney Children’s Hospital, Randwick. The $150,000 donation from SWCCF will be specifically directed towards children’s cancer research.

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Gold Telethon Cheque Presentation for $275,000

Childhood Cancer Research Donation

On June 10 2013 the Steven Walter Children’s Cancer Foundation presented a cheque for $275,000 during the Gold Telethon event for the Sydney Children’s Hospital Foundation.  The bulk of the donation was raised through the SWCCF’s Around Australia Ride with over 20 motorcyclists doing a lap of Australia in just five weeks to raise money for childhood cancer research.

Gold Telethon Donation Video

We present to you the video of the presentation on the day with the transcript of the video below.

 

 

Transcript

<Deborah Knight> Absolutely guys, keep those call coming 1800 644 336. We’ve got Spidey here entertaining all the kids and face painting, and balloon blowing, and we’ve got the fairies here.  We’re having a lot of fun here in the corner and it’s really hitting home why we are all here as well with all of these gorgeous kids here.

 

Because losing a child to cancer is a tragic reality that some parents are forced to face. The inspiring Steven Walter foundation was born from a powerful request that was made by a dying son to his family.

 

<Sue Walter> Well we started in 2001, Steve my son, actually died in 2000 after an 8 year fight with cancer. He was quite a remarkable young man and I think because he had cancer for such a long time he was actually diagnosed with cancer when he was 11 and by the time he got to 19, he just turned 19 and unfortunately he died.

 

He wanted us to raise money for research so that one day no other kid would have to go through what he’d been through and that really has been I suppose our mantra or something that has quite impressed on my brain that this is why we’re doing what we do

 

<Deborah Knight> Steven was a passionate and talented and passionate motorbike rider and the foundation now raises life saving funds with annual trips across the country. Over the last 12 years the Steven Walter Foundation has donated an incredible 5 million dollars to research and made a significant impact on increasing the survival rates of kids battling cancer

 

<Sue Walter> It’s quite incredible when you think about it, we just started out doing one event wanting to follow his wishes,  but to get to where we have got to now sometimes you sort of sit back and think wow that is a lot of money we’ve raised but we could not have done it on our own and we have fabulous group of volunteers and so many supportive people.  He’s probably up there looking down at us going “I want to do that, I want to be here and do this around Australia ride and do the snowy ride”. He would be very proud of what we’re doing.  Just thinking about what families go through and what kids go through it just gives you really the inspiration to want to keep doing what we do

 

<Cameron Williams> It certainly is inspiring, an incredible legacy Steven Walter has left behind and the people who continue to carry out his wishes are his mum Susan Walter, great to see you again here Sue.  And Allan McGuirk, and Glenn Marshall who is a children cancer specialist. They’re here to present this cheque as head of the kid’s cancer centre. Over to you, it’s a great number you’ve got there, a great number, $275,000. It was a great way that you raised it too, riding a motorbike around the country.

 

<Allan McGuirk> Oh it was, it was really, for 34 days great camaraderie and a just such an enjoyable way to raise money.

 

<Cameron Williams> You’ve come back in great shape, how does the bike look?

 

<Allan McGuirk> After a wash it looks a lot better than I do when I got back I can tell you.

 

<Cameron Williams> And you must be so proud, Sue that this is an ongoing legacy.  In total now over 5 million dollars.

 

<Sue Walter> $5,000,000 that we have donated to research.  So one day no other child will have to go through what Steve went through is our goal

 

<Cameron Williams> This cheque will be in the bank tomorrow morning.  Glenn, tell us some idea of where this money will go.

 

<Glenn Marshall> This is very, very important to us. What it does is we’re working on research to come up with better diagnostics even predicting in children who apparently are well and whether they are going to get leukaemia and then helping us fund a lot of the trials that we’re doing using new therapies to improve the cure rates. So this gives us hope, hope for the researchers, the parents, the children and the doctors looking after them

 

<Cameron Williams> All right, Glenn thank you very much. Allan for all of your efforts, 34 days of saddle soreness. And Sue thank you for the inspiration you give us all. Deb, $275,000 we’re getting a lot closer to having to do that marshmallow challenge.

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$275,000 for Childhood Cancer Research by the Around Australia Ride

Steven Walter Foundation donates $275,000 to the Gold TelethonGold Telethon 2013

The Steven Walter Children’s Cancer Foundation (SWCCF) has donated $275,000 to the Gold Telethon to fund two critical research projects into a cure for children’s cancer.

 

The Gold Telethon is the major annual fundraising campaign for Sydney Children’s Hospital in Randwick and was seen around the country on Channel Nine, WIN and NBN on Monday 10 June.

 

The donation comes just a week after the conclusion of SWCCF’s Around Australia Ride, which saw 23 riders ride 15,000km around the country on motorcycles to raise money for children’s cancer research, returning with $225,000.

 

“Our mission is 100% survival for all children with cancer and to prevent their suffering,” said Sue Walter, Director of SWCCF.

 

“We have decided that we will combine the money raised on the Around Australia Ride with other funds raised through the Foundation to support two vital research projects.

 

“The Telethon is a wonderful way for the community to rally together and support the lifesaving work that the Hospital does,” Sue said.

Childhood Cancer Research

The Foundation will provide $150,000 for a collaborative research program between Sydney Children’s Hospital, Randwick and Royal Children’s Hospital, Melbourne on brain tumours. It will also donate $125,000 to fund the PreP21 Study, which is focused on predicting and preventing Leukemia in children with Down Syndrome by testing for specific gene mutations, which it is hoped will have applications to other models of childhood leukemia.

 

The Steven Walter Children’s Cancer Foundation was formed in 2001 for Steven Walter, a young man from Kirrawee, in Sydney, who lost an eight year battle against cancer at the age of just nineteen in 2000.

 

SWCCF has a very successful history raising money for childhood cancer research having raised $5 million since 2001. Its goal is to raise $700,000 in 2013 to continue funding important research and clinical trials.

 

“Over the past twelve years an army of volunteers and generous donors have helped us raise $5 million and it is such a privilege to see that money being put to work in supporting research into a cure, reducing side effects of treatments and improving survival rates,” she said.

 

“There’s been significant improvement in the life expectancy of children post diagnosis, however research and clinical trials are essential to ensure that we continue to move toward our goal of 100% survival for ALL children,” Sue said.

 

If you would like to make a donation to help the Foundation reach its $700,000 target in 2013, you can do so via the secure online Snowy Ride donation form or call (02) 9542 5885.

 

About Steven Walter Children’s Cancer Foundation

Steven Walter Children’s Cancer Foundation (SWCCF) originated in 2001 as the Steven Walter Fund and was incorporated in March 2008 as part of a strategic plan to develop a significant long term fundraising capacity to benefit childhood cancer research in Australia. The origins of SWCCF lay in the wishes of Steven Walter, a young man who died in 2000 at the age of 19 after an 8 year fight against cancer. In his final days Steven wrote a powerful letter to his family and friends asking them to raise money for childhood cancer research “so that one day no other kid would have to go through what I’ve been through”.

Vision

“100% survival for all children with cancer and prevention of their suffering”

Mission

To make a difference for children with cancer by raising philanthropic funds for childhood cancer research which can impact on the current clinical standards of care for children with cancer, reduce side effects and improve survival rates.

Commitment

SWCCF is committed to fundraising partnerships offering financial support for vital research so that every child with cancer can be guaranteed a future and an improved quality of life. You can make a difference by helping us with a donation to the SWCCF.

Over the past twelve years, the foundation has had a strong commitment to raising funds for much needed and vital cancer research, supporting the provision of a full range of clinical services to patients, tertiary care and health promotion and prevention programs for children and adolescents.
For every 10 children diagnosed with cancer, three do not survive and here in Australia, that translates to three children losing their lives to cancer every week. We believe that is three children too many, and of those who survive many will have chronic health problems as a direct result of their treatments.

Media Contact

Steven Walter Children’s Cancer Foundation
Kylie Di Cesare
0407 732 220

Contact Us

(02) 9542 5885
admin@stevenwalterfoundation.org.au

PO Box 4610
Sylvania Waters
2224

Steven Walter Trust – ABN: 93 625725 432

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