THANK YOU

for helping seriously ill children and their families when they need it most!

Ronald McDonald House Charities (RMHC) Greater Western Sydney is built on the simple idea that nothing else should matter when a family is focused on the health of their child – not where they can afford to stay, where they will get their next meal or where they will lay their head at night to rest.

We believe that when a child is hospitalised, the love and support of family is as powerful as the strongest medicine prescribed.

Fundraising initiatives from within our community are instrumental in providing the funds necessary to provide accommodation and support families with seriously ill children through their darkest times.

Pictured: The Wild family, who stayed at Ronald McDonald House for 219 nights during little Ellie’s cancer treatment.

“It’s invaluable. Being together as a family unit is important for, not just the family but... Ellie’s treatment and outcome... and how she experiences it. Being together is so important and Ronald McDonald House has been able to facilitate that.” – Ellie’s dad, Adam

“

One of the key things I think was the fact the Ronald McDonald Housepromotes itself as keeping families together and Little Athletics sees itself

that way as well. We run under the tag line family fun and fitnessand with family being the first word so there’s real synergies there

that we thought were appropriate.

- Kerry O’Keefe, Chief Executive, Little Athletics NSW

“

rmhcgws.org.au/lansw

show (one’s) (true) stripesTo reveal what one really believes, thinks, or wants;

to act in accordance with one’s real personality, character, or disposition.

THIS OCTOBER SHOW YOUR STRIPES

and make an IMPACT for seriously ill children and their families.

How to raise $500 at YOUR club!Put a donation box up at work or at the club canteen for the whole month of October. Maybe even ask the local café to support your efforts and put one there too!

Host a bake sale – Who can resist the yummy treats!?

Hold a raffle and get kids to reach out to their own friends/family/neighbours to sell the tickets. Ask local businesses to donate some prizes.

How to raise $1,000 at YOUR club!

Hold a car wash after the meet - small cars $20 large $25. Wash 20 cars at $20 = $400 AMAZING!

Host a BBQ… Selling 200 sausages at $3 will raise you $600. Get some drinks to sell too! Even reach out to your local butcher and bakery to donate the goods to help raise more funds!

Host your dedicatedSHOW YOUR STRIPE DAY!!Encourage athletes and families to wear stripey accessories or socks and make a donation on the day. Presenting awards for most creative outfits, contributions, or biggest fundraisers on the day!

Purchase our signature stripey socks and sell on the day. Buy online here: rmhcgws.org.au/shop. Hold a temporary hair colour spray station and spray your athletes’ hair for $5 a head. By colouring 40 kids hair for $5 each will raise $200. Reach out to our friends at CINTA for a host pack. Buy online here: rmhcgws.org.au/shop.

Why not get some face painting happening too?

HOT fundraising TIPS

Ask your club members to create their own fundraising pages. They’ll love having the opportunity to be more

involved, get creative and make an IMPACT! I bet you

have a few fundraising superstars amongst

you.

Thank your donors and reward your

fundraisers with a public shout out. They will feel super special and it will

motivate others to join in the fun!

Give your members

updates on how your fundraising is going and tips on how they can fundraise too!

Reach out to local media.

they’d love to hear how you are making

a difference for sick kids and their

families.

Banking detailsIn regard to banking, there are a few ways. The easiest is to pay di-rectly online in your fundraising dashboard: rmhcgws.org.au/lansw

Westpac banking details as follows:Name: Ronald McDonald House Charities Greater Western Sydney LimitedBSB: 032 340ACCT: 119 901Reference: SYSClubName (Eg. SYSHillsDistrict)

If you’d prefer to send a cheque, please make payable to: Ronald McDonald House Charities Greater Western Sydney Limited

Forward to following address:Ronald McDonald House WestmeadC/- Show Your StripesLocked Bag 4001WESTMEAD NSW 2145Share your

fundraising page on the clubs social pages and let the community know

what you’re doing! Don’t forget to tell them why you are fundraising

and how their support helps.

Prizes

Did you know?

GRAND PRIZE: HIGHEST FUNDRAISING CLUB (ALL CLUBS ELIGIBLE) $1500 NORDIC SPORT AUSTRALIA VOUCHER (inc GST) Redeemable for Nordic catalogue products www.nordicsport.com.au - LANSW preferred supplier

RUNNER UP PRIZE: SECOND HIGHEST FUNDRAISING CLUB (ALL CLUBS ELIGIBLE) $500 WHOLESALE TROPHIES VOUCHER To spend on your clubs end of year presentation 2019/20 www.wholesaletrophies.com.au - LANSW preferred supplier

BONUS PRIZE: FOR HIGHEST FUNDRAISING CLUB (SMALLER CLUB SIZES ONLY) Eligibility dependent on club size to be determined by Little Athletics NSW EVERDURE BY HESTON BLUMENTHAL FURNACE 3 BURNER GAS BBQ (VALUE $999) www.everdurebyheston.com/product/furnace

It costs Ronald McDonald House Charities $160 to accommodate a family with a seriously ill child for one night.

If every Little Athletics Club pledged to fundraise $1,120 or one weeks’ worth of accommodation for a family – As a group, Little Athletics NSW would be able to support one family staying at Ronald McDonald House for over 3 years!

Wouldn’t that be amazing! Is YOUR Club up to the Challenge?

T’s & C’s• Clubs must raise a minimum of $1K to be eligible for any prizes. • Each Club will only be eligible to win one prize. • To be eligible to win BBQ prize clubs must have under 180 current registered members. Eligibility will be determined by Little Athletics NSW. • To be eligible to win a prize, all monies raised must be banked into RMHC GWS bank account or via online fundraising page by midnight (00:00hrs) Friday 1 November 2019.

14 September 2018 at 11.20am was the moment our lives were turned upside down.

As a parent, I don’t think that the memory of her diagnosis will ever fade. I will never forget the moment when our paediatrician called us to let us know that our worst nightmare was now our reality. It was then that Ellie, our bubbly 3 and a half year old, was diagnosed with High Risk T-Cell Acute Lymphoblastic Leukaemia.

We were admitted into the Children’s Hospital at Westmead that afternoon. Our family packed up for what we thought would be a month long visit and we have been in Sydney ever since.

Our 4 hour drive felt like a lifetime. So much uncertainty. We called so many motels, trying to find somewhere close enough for our 14 month old to stay with my mum while we were in hospital with Ellie. One of the hotel receptionists asked if we had contacted Ronald McDonald House Westmead. What a Godsend to hear that this facility was available at such a stressful time in our lives.

Having a home away from home within such a short distance to the hospital was the most comforting thing for all of us during Ellie’s whole experience. The House kept our family close together, allowed our girl to have her favourite home cooked meals, and provided so much support to our whole family. Most of all, we were able to experience home life together during treatment breaks and in between hospital stays.

For 8 and a half months, Ronald McDonald House Westmead was our home. For 219 nights, we were together. Sharing family meals, sleeping under the same roof, getting through tough times and making new memories.

Ellie was slow to respond to chemotherapy and was moved into the high risk category quite early into diagnosis. After 2 months of treatment, we were sat down and told that Ellie would need to undergo a bone marrow transplant. We were very fortunate for her little brother to be a match and together we started the preparation for transplant.

Our little girl has shown nothing but courage and strength, fighting for her life on more than one occasion. A lot of the time with a smile on her little face.

The high dose chemotherapy and total body irradiation was extremely hard on her, emotionally and physically but we are so happy to say that Ellie is now 4 months post bone marrow transplant and is getting stronger every day!

We are truly grateful to have become part of the Ronald McDonald House family. We are so lucky to have met such strong families, superhero children, incrediblestaff and selfless volunteers at the house.

One very thankful family Ellie, Adam (Dad), Rachelle (Mum), Hudson (Little brother)

Ellie’sjourney

Contact us02 9806 7111

supportingGWS@rmhc.org.au

Street address: 1 Labyrinth Way, Westmead NSW 2145 Postal address: Locked Bag 4001, Westmead NSW 2145

www.rmhc.org.au/westmead

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