Cherish Challenge

Journey to the red centre

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Cherish Challenge Larapinta 2021 Highlights

In 2021, our Cherish Challenge was to trek the iconic Larapinta Trail, raising funds for research and awareness about gynaecological cancer.

34 people from across Australia grabbed their sense of adventure and purpose and committed to the Cherish Challenge Larapinta 2021.

Despite restrictions on travel due to COVID-19, most of our bold Cherish team made it to Australia’s red centre to complete the trek. Yes, it was fun to explore the rugged terrain, talk and laugh with like-minded people, swim or wade through remote rivers and sleep under a blanket of stars.

But, more importantly, the Cherish team raised $220,000 to help fund research that gives hope to thousands of women and girls with gynaecological cancer in Australia. That is what makes our hearts burst! For funding is what our research teams need to advance much-needed research.

If you would like to join the next Cherish Challenge, please let us know. We need people like you to make a difference in the lives of women and girls with gynaecological cancer.

If trekking is not your thing, please consider donating or offering your support in other ways.

Each year in Australia, over 6,500 women and girls are diagnosed with gynaecological cancer. One-third of these women will not do well. We urgently need to improve the odds of surviving gynaecological cancer, and the most effective way is through research. Our teams of researchers are ready. They are only limited by the funds available.

One step closer to joining us?

How will your fundraising help?

You’ll be helping the 6,500 women and girls diagnosed with gynaecological cancer each year and their families.

  1. 100% of the money raised will support research that improves survival rates, treatments and ways to detect and prevent gynaecological cancer. There are successful research trials that have changed how doctors treat patients and which would never have started without fundraising support. Currently, research trials in uterine, ovarian and vulval cancer need funding. These projects will address impactful research problems, some of which have been unsolved for more than 30 years.
  2. You and Cherish will raise awareness that saves lives. The more women know about this disease and its symptoms, the more likely they are to see their doctor if something’s not right. Awareness will help prevention.
  3. You’ll show your support to women and girls across the world. Unlike breast cancer, gynaecological cancer is not well-known or understood. Often women diagnosed with it face unnecessary stigma and embarrassment. By fundraising, you’re saying to each of them, “I am with you.”

Itinerary Summary
– 7 day trek

24 – 30 June 2021

Day 1 – Arrive in Alice Springs

Day 2 – Telegraph Station to Wallaby Gap (13.5km) and onto Nicks Campsite (8.5km)

Day 3 – Nicks Campsite to Simpson’s Gap (10km) plus Standley Chasm and Lookout Walk. (5km)

Day 4 – Serpentine Gorge to Charle’s Camp (13km), optional walk to Serperntine Chalet Dam (2km)

Day 5 – Charle’s Camp to Ochre Pits (8km), optional walk to Ormiston Gorge to Finke River (10km)

Day 6 – Mount Sonder (16km), early morning sunrise walk

Day 7 – To Alice Springs

Detailed Itinerary

Itinerary Summary
– 3 day trek

15 – 17 June 2021

Day 1 – Telegraph station to Wallaby, visit Simpsons Gap, Standley Chasm Loop Walk (7km)

Day 2 – Serpentine chalet Dam to Ochre Pits (8km)

Day 3 – The Ormiston Pound Walk (7km)

Day 4 – To Alice Springs

Detailed Itinerary

2020 Trek Champions

Gillian

Gillian was the first person to register and feature as one of our ‘trek champions’ is Gillian. Read Gillian’s story on why she registered to walk to raise money for gynaecological cancer research here.

Monika

Why is Monika preparing to take on the next Cherish Challenge, hiking the epic Larapinta Trail with her husband and daughter and why is fundraising for research so important to her? Find out here.

Pippa

It would have been much easier for this busy CEO to simply make a donation to Cherish. But Ella Bache CEO Pippa Hallas has chosen to take part in the Cherish Challenge Larapinta 2021 in person, giving up her time and energy to hike for three days in Australia’s red centre. Find out why and how you can join her here.

Dr Garrett

Dr Andrea Garrett is one of the bold individuals who trekked to Everest Base Camp in 2019, raising funds for Cherish to support gynaecological cancer research. Dr Garrett is stepping it up again and has registered for our next trek, the iconic Larapinta Trail. We talked with Dr Garrett about why she thinks it’s so important to support research and why she is joining the next Cherish Challenge. Read more here.

Have you ever wondered what it would be like to join one of our bold fundraising adventures?

This story shows what you can expect if you or someone you know steps up for the Cherish Trek. You can help raise awareness about gynaecological cancer and raise funds – 100 per cent of which go directly towards supporting vital medical research. From the time you sign-up to the day of celebration, the Cherish Trek is the experience of a lifetime. Take a look for yourself. You may be inspired to join us!

If you have been inspired and want to be one of the first to find out about our next adventure, please email us: info@cherish.org.au

Fundraising

From the moment you register for a Cherish Challenge adventure until you return safely home, we will be with you every step of the way. We will offer support with advice, tools, resources and fundraising ideas to help you achieve your goals. We also know that if you plan ahead and break your fundraising down into manageable chunks, you’ll enjoy the rewards.

Making a difference

Together we are raising funds for Cherish’s nominated research partner – the Queensland Centre for Gynaecological Research (QCGC Research). This is your opportunity to help the 6,000 women and girls diagnosed with gynaecological cancer in Australia each year. QCGC Research works to find less invasive diagnosis and treatment for these cherished women.

Read more

Top five fundraising tips
  1. Start early. Kick off your fundraising now to raise $3,500.
  2. Mix it up. A variety of exercise is the best way to get fit, right? The same applies to fundraising. Check out the ideas below and mix up your team efforts.
  3. Keep the ‘fun’ in fundraising. Yes, we are raising funds for a very serious cause. But there’s still fun involved. Fun and humour are a great way to connect with others.
  4. Challenge yourself and get your family and friends to help you. Everyone hits a fundraising plateau or wall at some point. Talk to your family and friends for some motivation and encouragement and get their ideas on helping you raise these funds.
  5. Remember every dollar counts. Some of the most critical international research trials have begun with limited funding. We celebrate every donation – big and small – because it all makes a difference.

Here are some fundraising ideas from past events:

  1. Share a link to your fundraising page via your own social media accounts and ask your family and friends to support you by doing the same.
  2. Host morning or afternoon tea at your workplace for a gold coin donation and/or set up a swear jar for your co-workers.
  3. Ask if your employer will gift-match your donations to support your fundraising efforts.
  4. Organise a local community car wash or rope your local car wash in and for a percentage of the day’s proceeds, promote it to everyone you know.
  5. Hold a ‘guess the number of jellybeans or coffee beans in the jar’ competition.
  6. Ask for a donation in lieu of birthday or Christmas presents.
  7. Have a sausage sizzle or a lamington drive.
  8. Rope your training buddies in with a training session challenge for an extra fee.
  9. Offer a mini-goal if you achieve your target – for donations over $100 write the donor’s names on a flag and take a photo of the flag when you reach your destination
  10. Host a girls’ or boys’ night in – whether it’s for pampering or pizza (or both).

We’d love to see your fundraising efforts. You can share them with us via our Facebook and Twitter accounts and by hashtagging #CherishChallengeLarapinta2021

How to register

Once you have committed to Cherish Challenge Larapinta 2020 you will want to set up your fundraising page and get your fundraising started towards your $3,500 goal.

  1. Here are the instructions on how to set up your fundraising page.
  2. Here are some Fundraising Tips and Tricks to help you kick start your ‘fun’draising.
  3. Here are some tools to help you share the news of your trek of a lifetime with others to either join you or to donate and support your fundraising goal.

Please contact the Cherish team if you need any further information or assistance with registration and/or fundraising.

Tools & Templates

It’s great to have you on the team going bush for women’s cancer! By registering, you’ve taken the first step towards helping the 6,000 women and girls diagnosed with gynaecological cancer each year in Australia. Now, here comes the fun part – raising funds to support life-changing research.

We’re creating some useful tools to help you get as many friends, family members, workmates and sponsors behind your fundraising efforts. If there’s something else that you need, please get in touch. The more money we raise together, the more research we can support. Good luck and have fun!

Email signature

Add an image to your digital signature as a regular reminder that you’re asking for donations. Choose from Red, Navy, Black or White image backgrounds.

Email template – call for support

Start with a list of the 10 people most likely to support you in this challenge. Copy and paste this message into the body of an email and send it out to your contacts. Remember, people are more likely to respond to a personal request, so where possible include a special note for your friends, family and colleagues.

Employer’s letter – call for support

Personalise this letter to approach your employer or a business you work with for support. Before you send it, consider how the business will benefit from your participation in the Cherish Challenge.
Fill in the blanks for your fundraising event, insert the words into the body of an email and hit ‘send.’

Event Invite

Tailor this interactive invitation invite for your fundraising event, attach it to an email and hit ‘send’.

Event Poster

Tailor this interactive poster for your fundraising event. Especially handy for popping up at your workplace, local café, library, school, anywhere you can!

Social media tile – call for support

Share these png files – Facebook, Instagram, Twitter – across all your social media platforms adding a personal note and your GiveNow fundraising page link. Remember to #CherishWomen #CherishChallengeLarapinta2021

Sponsor’s letter

Personalise this letter to approach a business you know for support. Before you send it, do your research on how the business will benefit from supporting you. What can you offer them?

Using Video

This guide provides 10 tips on using video to maximise your fundraising.

Video Script

Use this sample script to get your fundraising video started with confidence.

Keep in touch for more ideas and to share your experiences:

Email info@cherish.org.au and ask to be added to the Cherish Challenge subscriber list to stay up-to-date with the latest information and news.
Subscribe to Cherish on our homepage. Scroll to ‘Keep Updated with Cherish’ and add your details to receive our newsletters (every 1-2 months) and special event alerts.
Contact us to discuss your queries or fundraising ideas.

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