My connection to The Smith Family comes from my personal values and experiences, ultimately being inspired by what they do. I personally have a connection to The Smith Family’s work, as I feel that education has been a big cornerstone in my life and has opened a lot of doors.

My fundraising activity involved running 100 km around Adelaide, South Australia. The run lasted for about 15 hours through humidity, rain, and sunshine, totaling around 2,000 metres of elevation gain and involved consuming a lot of food!

What inspired me to undertake this event, and particularly to raise money for The Smith Family, was that the event coincided with my 23rd birthday. After a tumultuous year, I wanted to make this birthday special by giving back. I have always felt quite fortunate for the opportunities I was given as a child, and as such, I am very passionate about providing these opportunities to others who may not have them.

Throughout the fundraising event and lead-up, my favorite moment was the day itself and ultimately finishing! When crossing the finish line, I had many of my friends and family waiting there, cheering me on through the pain. After a big day and a lot of mental and physical struggle, a massive wave of emotion overcame me, as the sense of achievement and community was something I had never felt before.

My top tip would be to get the community involved as much as possible. I found that running your own event has so much more power than you realise. While it raises awareness, inspiring others and allowing everyone to get behind one collective cause is what I believe makes the biggest change.