This year’s Mother’s Day Classic fundraiser for the National Breast Cancer Foundation saw entrants running or walking at 104 separate locations around the country – a record number – with more than ever before in regional areas.

The Australian Super team brave the wet weather at the Melbourne run. Source: Instagram

“More and more people are now able to participate in their local town, rather than having to travel to one of the capital cities, which is terrific,” Mother’s Day Classic CEO Sharon Morris said. “We’re thrilled with that growth.”

As a result, $24.3 million had been raised since the event’s launch in 1998, with that figure set to rise even further once fundraising officially closes on June 14.

Olympian Eloise Williams and Personal Trainer Amelia Phillips at the starting line. Source: Twitter

High-profile faces including Michelle Bridges, Corinne Grant, Livinia Nixon and Rebecca Judd were among the runners on the day.

As per tradition, the crowds were a sea of pink, sporting wigs, tutus, face paint and all manner of rose-tinted fancy dress, adding a celebratory edge to an otherwise emotional event.

“It has been a really powerful way for me, and many other participants, to channel our grief and loss into a fantastic outcome,” said chair and co-founder Louise Davidson, who was named Victoria’s Local Hero in the 2015 Australian of the Year awards for her work with Mother’s Day Classic.

Five-year survival rates for breast cancer now stand at 89 per cent, a significant improvement from 72 per cent in the early 1990s, yet an average of seven women still die every day in Australia from breast cancer.

Funds raised will help kick off a number of NBCF research projects, that will be vital for the organisation to achieve its goal of zero deaths by 2030.

The New Daily is a proud partner of the Mother’s Day Classic, a fun run and walk, which raises funds for breast cancer research. To donate, click here.