According to organisers, insurance professionals involved in the Tour de Cure’s Signature Tour have helped raise more than $2 million to fight cancer. The annual ride of more than 1,000 kilometres from Coffs Harbour’s Big Banana to Noosa wrapped up last week.
“Every night, we donated $10,000 to a local cancer project,” said Simon Elliot (pictured above), general manager – central, for Insurance Advisernet in Australia and New Zealand.
“It is very rewarding to hear how the funds raised are being used by local groups to provide tangible support and assistance to local cancer patients and their families,” Sydney-based Elliot said.
Elliot and six other insurance executives (all seven pictured immediately below) were among more than 100 riders who took part in the week-long ride. The insurance pros all managed to complete the tour.
Elliot said he was motivated to take part in the tour because cancer has impacted his family.
“I wanted to do my part in ‘curing cancer and changing lives,’” he said.
Elliot said that during the week-long ride he enjoyed hearing other peoples’ stories and was particularly impressed by how supportive everybody was of each other, both on and off the bike.
“It was great to be amongst people that care,” he said.
Stefan Feldmann (pictured above, third from the left), head of HDI Global Asia Pacific, also mounted his bicycle to fight cancer. Feldmann also appreciated the spirit among the cyclists.
“I most enjoyed the wonderful spirit and camaraderie in the team and each peloton,” he said. “It felt like being in a bubble over eight days with many like-minded people all pushing themselves hard for an important cause.”
Feldmann said he listened to many heartbreaking stories about people and families affected by cancer.
“There were also very encouraging stories of people overcoming adversity and providing support to others,” he said.
One aspect of the ride involved visiting local schools on the tour route.
“We visited several schools, which was always a highlight over the day with many energetic and cheerful kids welcoming us,” said Feldmann. “We talked about how to stay fit, healthy and happy – and played fun games.”
Just before the tour kicked off, Feldmann told IB that his interest in bicycling started when he was a toddler.
“Coming from Germany I basically grew up with cycling,” he said. “One of my earliest memories is that I cycled alone to my kindergarten at the age of three.”
Since then, his enthusiasm for the two-wheeler hasn’t waned.
“I have participated in various tours and cycling events in different parts of the world,” Feldmann said. “However, this Signature Tour from Coffs Harbour to Noosa will be the longest and probably the hardest I have ever done.”
During the Signature Tour, the charity announced that it has passed significant milestones. Since launching in 2007, Tour de Cure cycling and fundraising events have raised more than $100 million for cancer research and funded more than 100 cancer research breakthroughs, according to the charity's website.
The disease is one of Australia’s biggest killers. According to the Department of Health and Aged Care, cancer accounts for about three in every 10 deaths in Australia.
Other industry colleagues recently announced other fundraising bids to cure cancer.
Jaydon Burke-Douglas and Chris Varkoly from the underwriting agency ProRisk, together with Varkoly’s wife Kerri-Anne, announced a plan to climb the 15 tallest mountains in Australia in three days.
“Over the years, I've been known to have done a lot of stupid things for charity,” said Burke-Douglas, the firm’s general counsel and head of operations. Varkoly is national business development manager.
Burke-Douglas’s previous fundraising efforts include driving a tuk-tuk across India and navigating a car from Sydney to Alice Springs via the Gulf of Carpentaria.
The brokerage McLardy McShane recently held its fifth annual Golf Day. The event raises money to fight motor neurone disease (MND).
“We raised over $125,000 for FightMND – our biggest Golf Day yet,” said Don McLardy, CEO of the McLardy McShane Group. McLardy said that over the years, Golf Day has raised more than half a million dollars.
How do you see the insurance industry’s charity fundraising efforts? Does the industry do enough? Please comment below.
