Wollongong’s Luke Rollinson is participating in a 12 hour cycle ride around Eastern Creek on Thursday to help kids with cancer.
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Mr Rollinson is doing Endure for a Cure to raise funds and awareness for Children’s Cancer Institute’s national personalised medicine program called Zero Childhood Cancer. CCI gives hope to children at highest risk of treatment failure by identifying the best possible tailored treatments.
The cause is close to Mr Rollinson’s heart. When he was 15 months old he lost his right eye to cancer. He and wife Katie’s two children Eli, 3, and Harper, 1, were also born with retinoblastoma, and both have undergone treatment for tumours behind the eye. Harper was only two weeks old when she received her first round of chemotherapy, making her one of the youngest patients to undergo the intense cancer treatment at Westmead Children's Hospital.
The MMJ town planning director found out about Endure for a Cure when he was invited speak at a lecture on PR campaigns organised by UOW Faculty of Business undergraduate advisor Sue Slowikowski. She thought he would help inspire the students getting practical experience with cancer research fundraising. “I was asked to tell our story and what happened with me and my childhood cancer..and the genetic pass on to both my son Eli and my daughter Harper. Sue asked me if I wanted to be involved in a live PR campaign the students are doing for Endure for a Cure. With everything we have been through, any chance we get to raise a bit of money for organisations like that, we jump on board”.
Mr Rollinson was so impressed by students such as Olivia Wallace he decided to ride in a UOW team and is being joined by MMJ workmate Andrew Burrows and brother-in-law Jim Hopkins. “I think I have raised about $6000 and we have raised around $7000 in the team. We are humbled as always by our community’s support and love any chance we can get to raise awareness for childhood cancer research”.
Donations can be made at http://endureforacure2016.gofundraise.com.au/page/LukeRollinson.