BRISSY4WARD 2024
Date: 5 September 2024
Queensland Sports, Media and Corporate titans united at Brissy4Ward to raise $834,450 for young Australians with cancer.
Sony Foundation, the charity arm of the Sony Group of Companies, united sporting legends, media personalities and corporate heavyweights today in Brisbane at the Foundation’s annual Queensland fundraising luncheon, Brissy4Ward, to raise $834,450 to support young Australians with cancer.
The star-studded lunch was attended by Olympic Gold Medallists Cameron McEvoy and Kaylee McKeown OAM shared insights into the Paris Olympics in a special ‘Fireside Chat’, moderated by Nine’s Giaan Rooney OAM. NRL Legends Johnathan Thurston and Sam Thaiday also shared insights into the upcoming NRL Final Series in a panel moderated by Nine’s Danika Mason.
Sony Music artists Adam Harvey and Dami Im performed live sets at Brissy4Ward 2024 with attendees including Nine’s Tim Davies; Seven’s Steve Titmus and Alissa Smith; NOVA’s Ash, Luttsy and Susie; Ian Healy AO, Laura Geitz; Taylor McKeown; Mike Gambaro; Terry Hansen; Michael Kasprowicz and more!
Funds raised at Brissy4Ward will go towards Sony Foundation’s You Can Stay program, providing free and uncapped accommodation at Quest apartments, for 15-29-year-old regional youth cancer patients, and their families, who must travel to the city to access lifesaving treatment. Since launching in June 2020, Sony Foundation has provided over 27,000 nights of accommodation for youth cancer patients nationally. In January 2024, the You Can Stay program expanded to support patients 15-29 years (previously 15-25 years); which will see the number of patients supported double over the coming year.
Sophie Ryan, CEO, Sony Foundation says despite the significant progress that has been made in cancer treatment for adolescents and young adults, more must be done.
"Young Queenslanders, and Australians more broadly, are still slipping through the gaps. Youth cancer patients often face rare, complex and aggressive cancers that require specialised treatment only available in city hospitals. For our regional youth, this is a critical health equity issue. The burdens of a cancer diagnosis are especially heavy for those in regional and remote areas, where access to necessary care is limited.
"This issue is particularly pressing in Queensland, which accounts for over 25% of referrals to Sony Foundation’s You Can Stay accommodation program, with government subsidies falling short of meeting the urgent need for accommodation services to these young patients. You Can Stay has been pivotal in closing this gap, providing a home-away-from-home for youth cancer patients and their families, near metropolitan hospitals. This not only reduces delays in accessing lifesaving cancer treatment but also eases financial and emotional burdens on families who need to travel to the city for treatment, improving treatment adherence.
"Today, with the backing of over 350 guests representing Queensland’s sports, entertainment and corporate sectors, we’re proving the impact of collaborative philanthropy. With the recent expansion of the You Can Stay program to include patients up to 29 years old, we expect to double the number of regional and rural patients we support in the first 12 months. This ambitious growth highlights the vital need for increased fundraising, as we work together to close the health equity gap and ensure all young cancer patients receive the best possible care and support," said Ms. Ryan.
Alarmingly, one-third of youth cancer patients are from regional areas, and they are more likely to suffer mental health issues, financial strain, and isolation due to the increased burden of seeking life-saving treatment in major cities. The survival rate of Australians living more than 200 km from cancer treatment can be up to 30% lower than people living close by.
17-year-old Tiana Goodings courageously shared her journey with a youth cancer diagnosis at the event. Tiana from Cairns was undertaking year 10 and enjoying competitive dancing when she received a shock diagnosis of Stage 4 Ewing’s Sarcoma (a rare soft bone and tissue cancer), after months of unidentified pain, requiring her to relocate to Brisbane for over 18 months of treatment. In January 2024, after two months in remission, Tiana relapsed and was once again required to relocate to Brisbane, this time supported by Sony Foundation’s You Can Stay program, after aging out of paediatric services.
“In remission, I was allowed home back to Cairns where I attended school and went back to work. I felt like a normal teenager again and it was the best feeling, I even got my driver’s licence. But even being at home I had the constant fear of relapsing. And in January this year, that fear came true. The scans showed tumours on my lungs again meaning I had relapsed. This time it was harder to hear as we knew my chances were lower. Once again, we had to relocate from Cairns to Brisbane and start treatment all over, losing my hair again. This is when we were connected to Sony Foundation’s You Can Stay program.
“You Can Stay has provided me and my family a home away from home while I go through my cancer treatment. This program has reduced the financial stress of finding somewhere to stay whilst being so far away from home. Every time I am in hospital I get so excited to escape and go sit in the fresh air on the balcony of our apartment and I am so grateful to be able to do this at Quest.
“Receiving a cancer diagnosis is already hard enough but being a regional family and having to relocate away from our home makes this journey ten times harder. People don’t always realise how hard it is to be away from our home whilst going through such a tough journey, I really want people to know how important a program like the You Can Stay is.
“Whilst I have already done a further seven cycles of chemo, high-dose radiation and a stem cell collection just this year my treatment is not done yet. I don’t know what further treatment I will need just yet, but I am so glad to know that I have access to the best oncologist and care team, and that I will always have a safe place to stay while I am receiving this treatment, thanks to Sony Foundation,” said Ms Goodings.
