The 2024 Tour de Brisbane, sponsored by Transurban, was one for the books, raising close to $70,000 for transplant research done right here in Brisbane.
This year’s event was held on Sunday, April 14, and fortunately, it was the perfect Autumn day for the cyclists to cruise through fully closed city roads.
In fact, a record-breaking number of cyclists took part in the event, which had courses for rides of all ages and abilities, including 50km, 80km and 110km rides, as well as a sprint duathlon and a family fun community ride.
“The funds raised at this event will support research done at one of the country’s leading heart and lung hospitals – The Prince Charles Hospital. These dedicated teams are striving to improve outcomes for people impacted by transplant in a range of ways, like reducing the reliance on transplants through new drug developments for failing organs and increasing the viability of organs that are available for transplant,” said Chloe Nguyen, General Manager of Communications, Marketing and Engagement, The Prince Charles Hospital Foundation.
This year’s top fundraiser was Aaron Lee, a Perth father and heart transplant recipient who travelled across the country with his father, Ian, to participate in the event. For Aaron, this was something he had put on his bucket list shortly after his transplant surgery about three years ago.
In an incredible effort, the now 30-year-old rode the 110km course in 3 and a half hours. The physical feat was undeniably impressive, as were his fundraising efforts and his support for The Prince Charles Hospital Foundation in the lead-up to the event.
The day after the Tour de Brisbane, we had the pleasure of introducing Aaron and his father, Ian, to some of the researchers we support at the Critical Care Research Group (CCRG).
The dedicated and talented members of this group, which is celebrating its 20th anniversary this year, strive to improve treatment outcomes for the critically ill.
CCRG researchers, including Dr Jacky Suen and Clayton Semenzin, shared how their work aims to support people affected by heart disease and their families in Australia and around the world.
You can read more about Aaron’s story in this blog.
A very close second on the fundraising leaderboard was Kirsty Madsen.
“I chose to become involved in this fundraising challenge after a close friend’s Father was put in the ICU with Giant Cell Myocarditis (inflammation of the heart muscle),” she wrote on her fundraising page.
“After one week of admission to the hospital, he had deteriorated to the point of needing to be placed on two life support machines. Due to the unforeseen and rapid decline of his health, he was bumped to the top of the transplant list and received a heart transplant within two weeks of admission into hospital. Despite all odds, he is now living a full life three years post heart transplant.”
Thank you to Aaron, Kirsty, and all the other riders who hopped on their bike to ride for transplant research at The Prince Charles Hospital and those who supported their incredible efforts by donating to their ride.
