BRISSY4WARD 2026
Date: 20 AUGUST 2026
SONY FOUNDATION MARKS 50,000 NIGHTS OF FUNDED ACCOMMODATION FOR REGIONAL YOUTH CANCER PATIENTS AS BRISSY4WARD 2026 RAISES $1,027,000
On Thursday, 20 August, Sony Foundation, the charitable arm of the Sony Group of Companies, has announced a major milestone for its You Can Stay program, with 50,000 nights of funded accommodation provided since the program launched in 2020 to support young regional Australians affected by cancer.
The milestone was marked today at Sony Foundation’s annual Brissy4Ward event, where Queensland’s leading names in media, entertainment and business united to raise $1,027,000 for young Australians facing cancer.
The impact of those 50,000 nights was brought to life yesterday atop Brisbane’s Story Bridge, where Queensland You Can Stay patients and families joined Sony Foundation supporters to highlight the distances many young people from regional communities travel to access life-saving cancer treatment.
Delivered in partnership with Quest Apartment Hotels, Sony Foundation’s You Can Stay provides free accommodation for young Australians who need to travel from home to access specialised cancer treatment, helping remove accommodation costs as an additional barrier to care. Since launching in 2020, the program has provided more than 50,000 nights of free accommodation to more than 550 regional families.
Hosted annually by Sony Foundation, Brissy4Ward combines music, entertainment and philanthropy to shine a light on gaps in youth cancer care and raise funds to ensure young Australians can access the specialised care they need, regardless of where they live.
Fresh from performances in Nashville, Berlin and London, acclaimed Australian country artist Tyla Rodrigues headlined this year’s event, alongside singer-songwriter and Sony Music artist Dylan Wright. Hosting duties were shared by some of Brisbane’s most recognisable television and radio personalities from Sony Foundation’s Media Partners, including ARN’s Kip Wightman and Alana Riley; 9Network’s Melissa Downes, Joel Dry and Peter Psaltis; NOVA Entertainment’s Nick Allen-Ducat, David “Luttsy” Lutteral and Susie O’Neill; Seven Network’s Max Futcher and Sarah Greenhalgh; and Sony Foundation Ambassador Giaan Rooney OAM. 
Sophie Ryan-McPhee, Sony Foundation CEO, says reaching 50,000 nights is a significant milestone that demonstrates both the impact of You Can Stay and the growing need for the program.
“We are incredibly proud to reach 50,000 nights of funded accommodation through our You Can Stay program. It is a significant milestone, made possible by the generosity of our partners and supporters who share our belief that distance should never stand between a young person and the cancer care they need.
“You Can Stay launched in 2020 to help remove distance as a barrier to accessing life-saving cancer care, particularly for the one in three young people with cancer who live in regional areas. While this milestone is significant, it is also a powerful reminder of why this program is so important and why there is still more work to do,” said Ms Ryan-McPhee.
25-year-old Marcus Heironymus from Goondiwindi knows first-hand what distance can mean for a regional young person with cancer. Diagnosed with testicular cancer at 16 in 2017 – before You Can Stay existed – Marcus and his family regularly travelled from regional Queensland to Brisbane for specialised treatment, with round trips taking up to eight hours in a single day.
Now almost nine years in remission, Marcus has just completed a 400km walk from Goondiwindi to Brisbane as part of The Chemo Commute, single-handedly raising over $130,000 for You Can Stay so other regional families don’t have to face the same experience he did. Marcus completed his fundraising walk this week ahead of Brissy4Ward where he shared his cancer experience and the difference he believes You Can Stay would have made for his family.
“During my time being treated in Brisbane my family had to pay for accommodation, a cost that we had never planned for. We had to navigate this part of treatment in Brisbane because Sony Foundation’s You Can Stay didn't exist. If this program had existed when I was diagnosed, it would have changed more than where we slept. It would have meant that my parents weren’t trying to find somewhere for us to stay while trying to support their son going through treatment, working, and raising their two daughters as well.
“After seeing that this program came to life just 2 years after my experience, I want more youth cancer patients to have access to this beautiful program because I know first-hand You Can Stay would've allowed my family to breathe a little easier and sleep a little sounder at night. Regional families are already facing so much in this day and age regardless of a cancer diagnosis. If we can take the weight off a family’s shoulders that is an incredible thing”, said Mr Heironymus.
Each year, around 1,200 young Australians are diagnosed with cancer, more than any other age group. Caught between paediatric and adult care, many fall into a critical gap in the health system, where their unique needs are often overlooked. For the one in three young people with cancer who live in regional areas, distance can add another significant barrier to accessing specialised care.
Since its inception in 2010, Sony Foundation has committed more than $19 million to its national youth cancer initiative, You Can, helping bridge critical gaps in healthcare for young Australians.
Brissy4Ward 2026 Event Partners: Bedarra Island Resort, Creative Printing & Apparel, Diamond Lab Boutique, Felons Brewing Co., G.H.Mumm, Howard Smith Wharves, Michael Hill, NPW Productions, Oasis, Peter Lehmann, San Pellegrino, Story Bridge Adventure Climb, Sunnydale Green Solutions, Tanica, Terry O’Hagan Photography, The Advertising Works, Topbunk and United Airlines.
Brissy4Ward 2026 Media Partners: ACM, Amazon Ads, Are Media, ARN, Foxtel Media, Gumtree Group, IGN Entertainment, JCDecaux, JOLT, News Corp Australia, Nine Entertainment, NOVA Entertainment, oOh!media, Paramount, POA, QMS, SBS, Scentre Group BrandSpace, Seven Network, Snapchat and Val Morgan.
