A Remember September fundraising walk has topped all expectations.

District resident, Cait Matthews was delighted with the support she has received for taking on PanKind’s Remember September charity walk challenge to honour and remember the seventy-one Australians who die each week from pancreatic cancer.

The event is close to her heart having lost her sister to pancreatic cancer in December last year.

“It is an insidious disease, with symptoms often coming far too late for effective treatment,” Cait said.

“I took on this challenge in memory of my beautiful sister, Sarah who was just 55 years old.  Words cannot describe the pain of not having her with me, so my hope is that through fundraising I will help in some small way to save another family from this unbearable loss.”

Cait signed up to walk 71 kilometres alone hoping to raise $1,222 for pancreatic cancer research during the month of September, but found that she was still 20 kilometres short of her target at the end of the month. She put out a hasty call to friends and family and was overwhelmed by the response.

“I asked if anyone would like to join me to walk the remaining kilometres from Bugaldie to Baradine on Saturday, 28 September and all of a sudden I had people saying they would walk with me,” she said. 

“It was a lovely day and we enjoyed each other’s company. We were dressed in the pancreatic cancer fundraiser purple, my sister’s favourite colour and with lots of added sparkles.  We were doing it for a good cause and I had two of my sister’s daughters with us. When we got to Baradine, I checked my donation page and found that we had raised $8,333!

“This sum amounts to about six weeks’ worth of research into pancreatic cancer; so very, very important and I am so incredibly grateful. It was amazing to get such support in this way.”

As Australia’s only pancreatic cancer charity, PanKind requires the assistance of many generous patrons to fundraise for research. Their goal is to triple the pancreatic cancer survival rate by 2030 and dramatically improve the quality of life for those impacted by the disease.

Cait is considering lacing up her walking shoes again next year to step up to raise more funds for cancer research.

“I would like to hold an annual walking event to raise money for cancer research in general, not just pancreatic cancer,” she said.

“I think it is a good thing to contribute to the ground breaking research that advances treatment, healing and hope for a cure that will change lives. Together, we really can make a difference,”