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When the Woods family put out the word that they were doing the City2Surf, the response from the local Forbes and Australian Wool community was amazing. More than 50 people headed straight to the website to make an online donation, amounting to $5,340 for Cure Our Kids.
The Woods family live in Forbes in central NSW, where Rowan operates a wool broking business, and Suzanne is an Ultrasonographer at the local hospital. On the 3rd of November last year, their lives were turned upside down when their then 12 year old daughter, Eliza, was diagnosed with acute myelogenous leukaemia. On the 6th of March this year, following several bouts of intensive chemotherapy, Eliza underwent a successful bone marrow transplant, with the donor (Eliza's older sister, Aimee) proving a perfect tissue match.
After speaking with Cure Our Kids CEO, Carolyn Dodds, at the hospital in early April of this year, Eliza's father Rowan decided to register for this year's City2Surf. Rowan's wife Suzanne, and their two eldest daughters Kristen & Aimee, followed suit, and the family quickly put the word out to their friends and family, as well as their business contacts. It wasn't long before the donations began pouring in - even from their competitors in the wool industry!
"We had always wanted to do the City2Surf," Rowan says "but now we had a new and very compelling reason to do so".
"It was a fantastic experience," Rowan adds, "it was so inspiring to be part of the biggest fundraising team - I can't wait to do it again next year. Next year we hope to have our entire family, including Eliza, as part of the team. Our son Rhys had work commitments this year, and our youngest daughter, Georgia was on a school excursion!"
Having just turned 13 on August 17th, Eliza is recovering well at home. She looks forward to resuming school in term four, after the October school holidays.
Thanks to the Woods family for their tremendous efforts - we look forward to their participation again next year!
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