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Running for a cure

Kiss Goodbye to MS relies on the community to come together to raise funds and awareness to accelerate research into MS. We keep our administration costs low, by not ‘reinventing the wheel’ and rather than hosting our own large scale events, we leverage existing community fun runs that are held around Australia with our own stakeholders. Throughout August to October various community fun runs are held around the country, from the City2Surf in Sydney, to the Bridge to Brisbane in QLD and the Canberra Times Fun Run in the ACT. And each year during ‘running festival season’ the Kiss Goodbye to MS community come together and run for a cure.

This year we had more than 180 people raise awareness for Kiss Goodbye to MS in 12 separate fun runs held all around Australia. The Sydney City2Surf alone raised over $20,000 for Kiss Goodbye to MS, and Kiss Goodbye to MS participants in the Sydney Half Marathon raised over $4,800.

We have had people from all walks of life represent Kiss Goodbye to MS. Our ‘running for a cure’ team included grandfathers, mums pushing prams, researchers who dedicate their careers to fighting MS, young children, entire families walking together and even a few of the Kiss Goodbye to MS staff members dusted off their shoes!

The stories that bring us the most joy are the people living with MS who enter a race in their local community, and it is their personal determination that gets them to the finish line. Like Melissa Quirk from the NSW Central Coast, who ran 12km despite battling with balance issues related to her  MS. We also love hearing the stories about people supporting their loved ones who have been diagnosed with MS, like Laura Elphick, who completed the City2Surf for her 7th time this year in honour of her mum who’s been diagnosed with MS, and over these years has raised more than $60,000 for MS Research Australia.

Together more than $38,000 has been raised so far by people coming together to ‘run for a cure’ in their local community. Whether you raised $5 or $5,000 – we want to say a huge thank you. Every person who supports Kiss Goodbye to MS brings us one step closer to finding a cure. We couldn’t do it without you, and we hope you wore your Kiss Goodbye to MS singlet with pride.