‘A day for celebrating life’: Thousands turn up for Mother’s Day Classic

While many of us were snuggled in our beds on a frosty autumn morning on Sunday, 100,000 people all over the country gathered to walk and run, raising awareness and funds for breast cancer research with the 20th annual Women in Super Mother’s Day Classic.

Breast cancer survivors, friends, families and supporters all joined forces for the event, staged at 92 locations all over Australia.

Runner and breast cancer survivor Rina Gualtieri said the leg in Brisbane’s South Bank had a great turnout with more than 7600 people showing up to participate.

“It was an amazing morning,” she told The New Daily. “Breast cancer has touched so many people. Today so many paid tribute to their mother, sister, friend and colleague by walking and running and coming together.”

As well as participating, Ms Gualtieri has been a volunteer with the Mother’s Day Classic for four years and said she felt thankful to be part of the event, which raises money for National Breast Cancer Foundation research projects.

The Mother’s Day Classic started in 1998 as an event in Melbourne and Sydney that attracted a modest 3200 participants. From there it has grown into the nationwide event that it is today. Thirty-thousand people showed up for the Melbourne leg.

A couple of participants are all smiles after completing the course. Photo: Mother’s Day Classic

Molly Robertson is the granddaughter of the event’s co-founder, Mavis Robertson. She said that the Classic was “emotional and exhilarating”.

“It’s great to see such a wide range of people in ages including boys and men coming together to participate on this special day,” she said. “The colour pink was everywhere.

“It struck me that even though a lot of people have lost family and friends to breast cancer, it’s a happy event where tributes can be made – a day for celebrating life.”

Mother’s Day Classic chief executive Sharon Morris said this year’s effort was likely to far exceed last year’s tally of $3 million.

“We are so grateful to everyone today, around Australia, who help make the Mother’s Day Classic the meaningful event it is,” Ms Morris said. “It was so wonderful to see families and friends banding together for the cause.”

Ms Gualtieri said: “Today, I shed a tear. I feel truly blessed as we are well on our way to our $4 million target.”

Donations will remain open until June 30.

The New Daily is a media partner of the Women in Super Mother’s Day Classic, which took place in 100 locations around Australia on Sunday, raising money for the National Breast Cancer Foundation to help fund breast cancer research.