Fair Warriors - Cycling
for Finley

On 15 September 2017 we lost our darling son and brother - Finley Wright Curnow
- to brain cancer. Join us in raising funds for Children's brain cancer research.

The MAMIL** rides again!

As you might recall, last year we continued our fundraising for the Children’s Cancer Institute on the Alps2Ocean bike ride in New Zealand. Finley's two best friends - Charlie and Levon - joined us with their families to ride the 300ms over 4 days from Mt Cook to the coast.

Earlier this year we found out that Charlie's dad Nick was suddenly diagnosed with leukaemia - a shock to him, his family and his friends. But with the amazing treatments now available Nick is thankfully in full remission.

Nick has asked me to join him on this year's Life Ride - a charity ride in the Margaret River WA from 24-26 November in support of the Leukaemia Foundation (https://www.liferide.org.au/register-life-ride-2019). I'm not a road cyclist by any stretch but I didn't hesitate for a moment.

And so Nick and I will be pulling on the lycra to join the other 60 odd riders in this year's Life Ride - 380 kms over 3 days - to help raise funds to beat blood cancer which, in children, is the most commonly diagnosed type of cancer, accounting for 30% of all diagnoses in Australia.

But I will also be doing the ride to honour our Finley and in support of the research of the Children’s Cancer Institute.

**Middle Aged Man in Lycra (but not by choice)

8 children, 5 adults, 13 bikes, 300 kms, 4 days....

Last year we rode from Saigon to Angkor Wat and so far have raised an amazing $95,000 out of our $100,000 target!!

This October, the Fair Warriors will be riding again - this time the Alsp2Ocean train New Zealand from Mt Cook to the sea at Oamaru on New Zealand's spectacular South Island.

Alps2Ocean bike ride

This time we are teaming up with the families of Finley’s two best friends - Charlie and Levon - and their siblings. 13 of us in total from ages 7 to 53!

We are aiming to raise another $100,000 over the next year through our bike ride and a range of other fundraising activities leading up to the trip.

You can follow us on the Alps2Ocean ride and our fundraising efforts at the Fair Warriors Facebook page.

Kick cancer's butt with Commando Steve's bootcamp fundraiser 

To get ourselves into shape for the Alps2Ocean bike ride, we have teamed up with Commando Steve and Inner West Outdoor Fitness for a fundraising family bootcamp on 9 September at Jubilee Park, Glebe NSW 2037 (Meet in front of Hilda Booler Kindergarten).

Bring your friends and families! You can join in by registering here.

Fair Warriors 

On 15 September 2017 we lost our darling 9-year old son and brother - Finley Wright Curnow - to a deadly DIPG brain tumour. It’s an aggressive childhood cancer for which there is no cure - yet!

In honour of Finley - and to prevent other children suffering the same - we have started our Fair Warriors community on Facebook to be ambassadors and raise funds for all the amazing research work that the Children’s Cancer Institute is doing to find cures and treatments for children’s cancer - in particular brain tumours.

Last October we committed to raising $100,000 in 12 months.

To kick our fundraising efforts off, last October we Cycled for Finley - Mum Kate, Dad Paul, and big brothers Jacob and Liam, cycled from Saigon to Angkor Wat - 300 kilometres in 5 days.

Through the generous support of our family, friends, schools and community clubs we have reached our target of $100,000 in 12 months!  All of these funds gone directly to support the brain cancer research programs at the Children's Cancer Institute being led by Finley’s treating oncologist - Associate Professor David Ziegler.

Helping fund children's brain cancer research

From Finley's diagnosis to his death, it was only 6 months to the day. He was 9 years old. And nothing in the world nor the infinite universe could have prepared us for those 6 months. It is something that no one should ever have to experience - not the child, not the parents, not the siblings, not the grandparents, uncles and aunts, not the best friends and class mates, not the village and community - no one.

We lost a brave and funny, irreverant and cheeky, observant and empathic boy - his life way too short.

Brain tumours - including DIPG - are the most common form of tumours among children and funding more research into brain cancers is vitally important. Finley’s treating oncologist - Associate Professor David Ziegler - is a Group Leader at Children's Cancer Institute and he and his laboratory research program at the Children’s Cancer Institute, Australia focuses on the development of novel therapies for childhood cancer, with a particular emphasis on brain tumours. One area of Dr Ziegler’s particular research focus is on the tumour that Finley had - DIPG.

DIPG is the most aggressive and devastating of all childhood malignancies, surgery is not possible due to the tumour's sensitive location within the brainstem. Patients do not respond to chemotherapy, and radiation therapy only briefly delays tumour progression. Due to this, new approaches are desperately needed and funding for research in this area is vitally important. The biggest problem any research into DIPG tumours has faced, has been the lack of DIPG tumour tissue - this is because surgery is usually impossible. Children's Cancer Institute has solved this by establishing protocols to create the world’s first ever bank of DIPG tumour samples. And Finley has supported these efforts by giving his tumour to research.

"We are curing childhood cancer. It’s not if. It’s when".
Professor Michelle Haber AM Executive Director | Children's Cancer Institute

  • Leichhardt Saints FC just donated $6,000
  • Bryan , Sharon and Vanessia just donated $105.50
  • Jacob Wright Curnow just donated $515
  • Leichhardt Saints FC just donated $5,000
  • Andrea just donated $25
  • Juliet just donated $25
  • Nigel Johnston just donated $250
  • Kirstyn just donated $200
  • Louisa and James just donated $50
  • George Catsi just donated $75
  • Anonymous just donated $250
  • The Collyers just donated $50
  • The Herrick Family just donated $400
  • Ruben and Luka Loasby just donated $25
  • Phena and Duncan, Ruben and Luka just donated $200
  • Jackie, John, Rory and Sid just donated $100
  • William & Josephine just donated $25
  • Anonymous just donated $250
  • Fattorini family just donated $200
  • Elsabeth and Sean just donated $100

A big thank you to our Supporters

The real heroes who are kindly helping us achieve our goal

Leichhardt Saints Fc

Our charity round donation for the 2023 season

$6k

Bryan , Sharon And Vanessia

$106

Jacob Wright Curnow

$515

Leichhardt Saints Fc

Our annual charity round donation for the 2021 season

$5k

Cate Walsh

Dear Paul How incredible to raise so much for such a worthy cause. Cate

$200

Gilles Walgenwitz

$50

Pamela Dayanim

$100

David Jones

Supporting a wonderful father in a wonderful cause. Thank you for all that you do, Paul.

$150

Anonymous

$30

David And Katrina Cooper And Family

Well done on the ride, Paul and for all you do for the cause and to honour Finley.

$100

Kate, Paul, Jacob & Liam

Chris & Jana Wedding donation. Remembering Finley.

$250

Anna Maloney

Well done Paul

$100

Lucas Tyszkiewicz & Eve Burgess

$100

Chris Wilson

Best wishes to you and your family and best of luck on the ride!

$250

Joanna Hanvey

A massive well done to you all!

$25

The Greenmartinis

Ride well Paul! We hope you get a few well-earned Margaret River semillons at the end.

$100

Anonymous

$100

Anonymous

$100

Cameron Kelly

Ride well Paul! Great stuff.

$50

Anne-marie Allgrove

Good luck for the ride - what a huge effort

$500

Murray

$100

The Barrys

Great mates great charities and great distances .....sending great love and admiration xx

$250

Michelle & Richard Blunt

Amazing effort!

$500

Mike Webb

All the best Paul and Nick, hope the ride goes well and congrats in advance!

$250

Savannah

Great cause! Wishing you luck!

$25

Nigel Johnston

Good luck Paul!

$250

Anonymous

$50

Mark D

$100

Ludovic

All the best Paul and Nick!

$100

Rani

Wishing you all the best for the ride, and in the ongoing challenge to find a cure for cancer.

$100

James Harding

Good luck Paul and Nick

$100

Dan Tebbutt

Pedal harder, Homer!

$100

Anonymous

$250

Daniel Joyce

Good luck for your ride in WA Paul! Sending our love.

$100

Anonymous

$250

Anonymous

$100

Tiffany Huang

$1,000

Lauren Kirkwood

$100

Anonymous

$40

Werner Pickart

$100

Emily & Paul

Good luck Paul - I hope your legs are up to the challenge! Love to you all and thinking of Finley. x

$50

Anonymous

$30

Finley's Friends

Thinking of you daily.

$50

Jacob ?stergaard

Dear Paul, have a fantastic ride in a few weeks time. Hugs and Love to the family. Cheers

$100

Natalie A Bulwer

To always remember Finley

$100

Harrie Bantick

All of our support behind you Paul. An incredible cause.

$100

Rob And Elsa Curnow

Good on you paul

$200

Aileen

Good luck!

$50

Karen Gould

$100

Peter A Cook

$25

Dan Stilwell

$100

Teresa

Have an amazing ride Paul & Nick. Best of luck.

$75

Bryan Paisley

$100

Anonymous

$25

Andres Maasing

$25

Sharona

$25

Anonymous

$100

Kate Gillingham

$100

Kate Phillips And The Clutterbucks

$100

Sarah Merrett

Good luck for the ride!

$50

Maxine Ethier

$100

Christian

Alles Liebe. Wir denken an Euch. Christian + Family

$250

Rob Kelly

Paul, I am full of admiration. Great work and all the very best! Rob

$100

Rina Sproat

Best wishes on the ride and support to you and the entire family from afar.

$100

Amanda Ludlow

Well done Paul. I think of you and Kate often. Much love. Amanda

$100

Liz

Reaching the pedal and with every turn it's going to get us nearer to the cure! Liz

$50

James Geremia

$150

Rick Troiano

$100

Amelia Kidd

$100

Natalya Bremen

$100

Ingrams

$250

Kate Jefferson And Matt O'donnell

$100

Kate Muir

$100

Georgie Farrant

$200

Kate Dryden

$50

Anonymous

$50

Lynsey Edgar

$50

Jayme Hendriks

$25

Ai Ai Wong

$500

Amy Middlebrook & Lawrence Mendes

$100

Gavin Raftery

$250

Sarah Stokoe

Amazing initiative. All the best!!

$100

Leichhardt Saints Fc

Our Charity Sock Round donation for the 2019 season

$3.64k

Penny Zampelas

In loving memory

$50

Anonymous

$50

Douglas Family

In memory of Finley's courage and his family's love xx

$100

Jillian Sass

following on from our nephew Emile cycling for Fin in New Zealand. Such a worthy cause.

$40

Catsi-kwasners

$170

Helen S

So proud of you all xxx

$75

Willis Family

$100

From Charlotte And Ben

$25

Anonymous

$75

Bill And Meg Liston

Great cause , all the best

$100

Richard & Michelle Blunt

Rather late, but heartfelt. Best, R

$250

Javier Blanco Fernandez

$100

Wolf-daffy Family

Love in every pedal - we are with you in Spirit!

$50

With Support

many sincere condolences for the loss of your beautiful boy and wishes for a cure to come quickly

$25

Petersham Public School Family

$30

Christian

Dear Paul, All the best to you and your family! Alles Liebe, Christian

$250

Leichhardt Public School

Fundraiser organised by the Leichhardt Public School SRC

$778