Australia’s most loved national fun run and walk, the Women in Super Mother’s Day Classic (MDC), announced a donation of $2.5 million to the National Breast Cancer Foundation (NBCF) for research to help achieve the goal of zero deaths from breast cancer.
It takes the total donated by the Mother’s Day Classic Foundation (MDCF) to NBCF over the past 26 years to $44 million.
“This year 65,000 Australians in 73 locations across the country started their Mother’s Day with purpose, walking or running to support and honour those touched by breast cancer.” said Mother’s Day Classic CEO, Zara Lawless.
“The outpouring of support and generosity from participants and donors was inspirational, and the donation is a culmination of the hope, joy, strength and passion that embodies the Mother’s Day Classic.”
In 2023, the Mother’s Day Classic recorded incredible growth, with participation up 30 per cent on 2022 and the donation to NBCF up 70 per cent, the largest donation since 2017.
In 2024, the Mother’s Day Classic will expand its reach and impact by offering participants the opportunity to take part and fundraise in support of ovarian cancer research, in addition to breast cancer research.
Ms Lawless said: “The five-year relative survival rate for breast cancer has increased from 84 per cent to 92 per cent since the Mother’s Day Classic started in 1998. Through events like the Mother’s Day Classic the public support of medical research and the rates of survival have improved, recognising that there is still more to be done to achieve the goal of zero deaths from breast cancer.”
However, Ms Lawless said treatment advances in ovarian cancer have been limited, and treatment approaches have barely changed in 30 years.
“The five-year relative survival rate for ovarian cancer is just 49 per cent, with 1,054 deaths every year, and there remains no early detection test. This is why the Mother’s Day Classic has decided to go further in 2024 and invite our participants to run or walk in support of ovarian cancer research, in addition to breast cancer research.
On Sunday, May 12, 2024, the 27th Mother’s Day Classic will once again inspire and unite the community and deliver another extraordinary result for both breast cancer and ovarian cancer research.
