UPDATE - 2 Many 2 Young Appeal is off to New York!

After completing the Kangaroo Island Marathon with my son Jake in May 2022 I am now heading to New York to run the marathon on November 6th. I can't quite believe the New York Marathon, precovid, had over 50,000 participants and 2 million spectators lining the course. My chance to take raising awareness of neuroblastoma to the next level!!

Every kilometer will be for a child diagnosed with neuroblastoma, their names will be with me on my cape and in my heart. 22 of the children I am running for will never get the chance to go to New York. I want the crowd of 2 million to know their names... to think about how they can help to ensure there are better treatments for our children. 

I am excited to be travelling to New York, but for 10 of the children I am running for their families had to fundraise over $300,000 to travel overseas for treatment that wasn't available in Australia. Many of them made multiple trips overseas in the height of the pandemic. Life saving treatments should be available in Australia and/or families should receive financial support to access clinical trials overseas.

I will wear my tutu for 2 Many children 2 Young diagnosed with Neuroblastoma. I am running for:

Km #1 - Sienna

Km # 2 - Isabel

Km # 3 - Ava

Km # 4 - Eli

Km # 5 - Marko

Km # 6 - Evie

Km # 7 - Eleanor

Km # 8 - Declan

Km # 9 - Sophie

Km # 10 - Mayli

Km # 11 - Raf

Km # 12 - Max

Km # 13 - Corey

Km # 14 - Kahillila

Km # 15 - Ethan P

Km # 16 - Jordy

Km # 17 - Harry

Km # 18 - Jake

Km # 19 - Ethan M

Km # 20 - Natalie

Km # 21 - Charlie

Km # 22 - Siblings

Km # 23 - Elijah

Km # 24 - 24 children who did not make it through the clinical trial with Michael

Km # 25 - Michael

Km #26 - Lenny

Km # 27 - Emily

Km # 28 - William

Km # 29 - Nicholas

Km #30 - Mitchell

Km # 31 - Nixon

Km #32 - Isla

Km #33 - Byron

Km # 34 Summer Rose

Km #35 - Oscar

Km #36 - Edwina

Km # 37 - Oli

Km #38 - Ryder

Km #39 Piper

Km # 40 - Jazmyn

Km #41 Maddie

Km #42 Jai

Natalie has also successfully fundraised for Neuroblastoma Australia by running the Kangaroo Island marathon - 42km for 2 Many 2 Young.

Natalie and her son Jake have started their #2many 2young fundraising in earnest as part of Run4kids Cancers. They have since ran in the Kangaroo Island Marathon on 21 May 2022.

Thank you to Charlesworth Nuts for the prize hamper worth $249 that was given to a lucky donor. And we were delighted that all donations were matched by WOOLCOCK CONSTRUCTION, who generously donated $5400! Thank you!

Here's Natalie's story...

I completed my 44km for 44kids in May 2021, since then tragically Nixon and Jazmyn have lost their lives to this hideous cancer.

 *   21 taken too young,
 *   2 young fighters in treatment
 *   16 in remission and survivors
 *   Siblings
 *   Mums
 *   Dads
 *   Grandparents

Jazmyn was 10 and cheered me on during my marathon, meeting me at the finish line in Adelaide on my first 44kms with a huge sign she had painted to encourage me. Jazmyn was incredibly strong in dealing with the treatment she had to endure, despite what she was going through she was always thinking of others and how she could make a difference.

She had a devilish laugh and sense of humour and often appeared fearless. I am inspired by Jazmyn to keep trying to make a difference and to be braver in what I attempt. In May 2022, I hope to complete the Kangaroo Island marathon - 42km for 2 Many 2 Young to raise money for Neuroblastoma Australia.

Why I'm supporting Neuroblastoma Australia

The average age of diagnosis for Neuroblastoma is 2 years old and each year around 40 children are diagnosed in Australia.

Current treatments for a child diagnosed with Neuroblastoma typically includes chemotherapy, radiation therapy, stem cell transplants, surgery and immunotherapy, over 18 months or longer. The treatments are highly toxic and harsh on young growing bodies and result in lengthy hospital stays, as well as long term health issues.

Over the last 2 years, Eleanor, Marko, Ava and Nixon's families have had to raise hundreds of thousands of dollars to take their child overseas for treatment as there is no treatment available in Australia.

This has to change!!!!

As Neuroblastoma is very different to the cancers adults get, the best way to help these children and their families is to support the best targeted research possible into more effective treatments for Neuroblastoma. This is what Neuroblastoma Australia specializes in and why I am fundraising for them.

Please support me by making a donation today.

I started raising awareness and fundraising for childhood cancers in 2014, when my friend's son Jai relapsed with Neuroblastoma. Back then I didn't even realise children got cancer and had no idea what neuroblastoma was.

I naively thought Jai would have treatment and be back playing footy with my boys in a few months. Jai battled Neuroblastoma for 5 years and was taken just before his 10th birthday 5th March 2015. I promised Jai I would "NEVER GIVE UP".Since then I have followed the lives of many children battling cancer and have been shocked at the treatments they have to endure. It saddens me that there's so little awareness and funding for childhood cancers. I have come to realise that childhood cancers are different from adult cancers and need their own research and funding. There are also many different types of childhood cancers.

That is why for my marathon I am joining forces with 3 others runners who will be raising awareness and fundraising for different childhood cancers:

• Charlotte will be running for Leukemia Research,
  Leukaemia is a cancer of the blood and bone marrow. On average 280 children are diagnosed in Australia each year with Leukaemia, making it the most common childhood cancer. The most common subtype of Leukemia has a 90% survival rate.
• Jimmy Harrington with be running for Brain cancers. On average 120 children are diagnosed each year in Australia with brain cancers, with an average of 55% survival rates, however, some types of brain cancers have no treatment options.
• Jack Agostino with be running for Osteosarcoma and Bone cancers. In Australia on average 90 children and adolescents are diagnosed each year with sarcomas. Survival rates for some sarcomas are 80% where others are below 50%.

Cancer kills 3 children each week in Australia and 70% of children that survive cancer suffer long term effects from treatment. *(Source: Children Cancer Institute website: https://www.ccia.org.au/about-childhood-cancer)

Children need us to stand up for them and be their voice. I want the families of the children I am running for to know that their child is important to me and I see what they are going through. I will fight to make a difference and will run with them in my heart and they will never be forgotten.Please read the stories of the children who inspired #44kmfor44kids here.

Thanks for reading my story and I hope you can support me by making a donation, no matter how small, today. Thank you.