Pre Race Day 2011
It's a Speedie run this year
SUN 20 MAR 2011
WHILE his dad shows off his endurance, little Edward Speedie will be showing off his new smile after enduring the last in a series of life-changing operations.
The 18-month-old has been in the operating theatre at the Royal Children's Hospital three times since his birth to repair his cleft lip and palate.
This is the first year he is well enough to be wheeled by father Rob in the Run for the Kids charity event on April 17 to aid the Royal Children's Hospital.
Mr Speedie said it had been a "huge shock" to discover Edward's congenital defect.
"We didn't know how he would look after the surgery and I was worried about the implications on his health," he said.
"But what they've done for him has been life changing."
Edward's first operation, by plastic surgeon Andrew Greensmith, was at five months to repair his lip and palate. The second, three weeks later, shaped his nose and the last filled the palate.
"Children in developing countries die from this because of malnutrition, so it just makes good sense to support the hospital that has given him so much," Mr Speedie said.
Why the big hurry, guys? Where's the fire?
THU 17 MAR 2011
WHEN they are not risking their lives with the Narre Warren CFA unit, these volunteer firefighters are training for the Herald Sun CityLink Run for the Kids event.
On April 17 the team of about 20 will run the 15km race for the fourth consecutive year to help raise funds for the Royal Children's Hospital.
Firefighter Tony Bundock said although it is a fun run there will be some competition.
"There is some keen rivalry between the firefighters and those of us that hold officer rank," Mr Bundock said. "However, I am pleased to say that the officers can usually see off a few of the younger members in terms of performance."
The firefighter said that although he has never had to take his children to the Royal Children's, the run supports a great cause.
Leo joins the fun
SUN 13 MAR 2011
LITTLE Leo Dench has watched from the sidelines for the past three years as his family has taken part in the Herald Sun/CityLink Run for the Kids.
But Leo, 5, who was diagnosed with leukaemia at the age of two, is thrilled to be fit enough to join in this year.
After three years of treatment, due to finish next month, Leo is now big enough and strong enough to do the run, his mother Brigitte Walker said.
During his treatment, Leo and his family have spent long hours at the Royal Children's Hospital, which will receive the proceeds from the run on Sunday, April 17.
The family have long supported the Royal Children's Hospital with Leo's mother, aunt and family friends previously participating in the 14km run for a friend who was also diagnosed with a brain tumour in 2007.
Since their first run for charity, the clan have been running every year.
Leo decided he wanted to take part in this year's run, his mother said.
He is going to take his fight against leukaemia to the track with the full support of his family and friends.
Leo has eagerly been undertaking his own training program for the run, with the help of a GPS device on a mobile phone, Ms Walker said.
Running for their lives
FRI 11 MAR 2011
THE Herald Sun /City Link Run for the Kids event will give Monica MacDonald a chance to show appreciation for the work of the Royal Children's Hospital by walking the 5.2km course.
More than 30,000 runners and walkers are expected to join Ms MacDonald at the Botanic Gardens circuit on April 17.
Devin and Steven, Ms MacDonald's two sons, were diagnosed with hereditary muscle disease muscular dystrophy five years ago and attend the RCH. Both will benefit from money raised for their continued treatment.
The Gowanbrae resident said she was looking forward to giving a little something back.
"This is my chance to say thank you (and) say a special thank you to Dr Andrew Kornberg and the team at the children's neuroscience centre," Ms MacDonald said.
All Victorian entries before April 8 will go into a draw to win a Mazda2.
Lo and behold it's Phil
TUE 08 MAR 2011
PHIL Lo will be part of the Herald Sun/CityLink Run for the Kids event for the fifth year in a row wearing his lucky Running of the Bulls costume.
"I am still waiting for the bulls to be released," Mr Lo joked. He is expected to be joined by about 30,000 runners for the April 17 event.
The orthopaedic physiotherapist first participated in the race while working at the Royal Children's Hospital, which will benefit from funds raised.
"Not many people see how or why we work in this hospital environment, but it's the challenge and job satisfaction of helping the patients and their families," Mr Lo said.
The 39-year-old trains for up to three months before the 14km run.
Teen seeks a break
FRI 04 MAR 2011
FORMER Australia's Got Talent finalist Madeline Perrone is heading to NYC and LA to try to snare a record deal.
The 16-year-old singer had a string of successful meetings in September and is heading back at the end of the month to try to crack the big time.
In the meantime, Perrone has released single Remember Me online to help raise money for the Fight Cancer Foundation, and will be performing at Herald Sun's Run for the Kids on April 17.
Willow sets pace with mum's run
WED 02 MAR 2011
JENNY Vanderwall will run 5.2km with her 18-month-old daughter, Willow, to the finish line of the Herald Sun/CityLink Run for the Kids challenge.Willow in her pram will egg on her 40-year-old mum through the Botanic Gardens circuit on April 17.
The Langwarrin resident started running when she gave up smoking nine years ago to help her get fit and since then her daughter has become a regular running partner.
Funds raised from the Run for the Kids event will go to the Royal Children's Hospital, which helps children like Willow, who has had open heart surgery and bowel surgery at the hospital for her congenital heart disease and scimitar syndrome.
"We joke that she is like a house that has been renovated," Ms Vanderwall said.
"Every time (the doctors) fix one thing they find another problem."
Family runs for Chloe's life
SUN 06 MAR 2011
TWO family members have undergone life-saving heart surgeries in three years, but the Karatjas clan still finds time to give back.
The Herald Sun/CityLink Run for the Kids is firmly fixed on the family of four's calendar and they will compete next month for the second time.
Their participation on April 17 comes after a stressful three years that started with daughter Chloe being born with a narrow aortic valve, which caused her heart to work overtime to pump enough blood with each beat.
The condition went undetected until she went into cardiac arrest at three weeks old.
Chloe, now three, needed open-heart surgery to repair the valve and spent five weeks in intensive care at the Royal Children's Hospital, which receives the money raised by the run.
But as Chloe was recovering last March, her dad, Gary, needed major surgery to replace his heart valve.
Mr Karatjas, chairman of the charity HeartKids, has the same congenital heart condition as Chloe, who will also need her heart valve replaced in the future.
"We are just so grateful as a family for everything the hospital has done for us," Chloe's mum, Melissa, said.
Baby will be born to run
FRI 18 FEB 2011
NATASHA Boeres will be almost at the end of a different journey when she takes on the Herald Sun/CityLink Run for the Kids challenge on April 17.
Ms Boeres, 33, from Warranwood, will be eight months pregnant when she runs the 5.2km circuit.
But the scenic route through the Royal Botanic Gardens will be a piece of cake for the mum-to-be, who runs 15km a day.
"I've been running for 10 years so I think it's more mental than anything else," she said.
"You just have to push your mind."
"I probably could do the longer race, but I'm not sure what the weather conditions will be. I'm aiming to do it in 30 minutes, which is a decent pace."
Ms Boeres' parents are nervous of her running the race, but her partner will be on hand to capture the moment for their unborn child.
"He's going to take photos and document it for the baby," she said. "I have done a half-marathon and it was my goal to do a marathon this year but I fell pregnant, so maybe later on in the year if I am fit enough."
About 33,000 people will take part in the Herald Sun/CityLink Run for the Kids on April 17. Registrations are open at www.runforthekids.com.au, with all Victorian entries before April 8 going into a draw to win a Mazda2 Maxx hatch.
Running for love
THU 10 FEB 2011
A POIGNANT reminder of the importance of the Royal Children's Hospital will be emblazoned on Belinda Timms' chest when she pounds the pavement for the Herald Sun/City Link Run for the Kids on Sunday, April 17.
She and her husband, Michael, lost their 21-month-old son, Nicholas, to cancer in December 2008.
Team Nicholas will run wearing T-shirts covered with photos of the toddler.
Entries for the run are expected to sell out quickly.
Ben's on run for little mate
TUE 01 FEB 2011
BEN Macaulay is still fighting leukaemia but that won't stop him strapping on his runners for the Run for the Kids.
The Box Hill seven-year-old is in remission from acute lymphoblastic leukaemia, but he still takes chemo tablets every day and is treated in hospital once a month.
Ben's mother, Vanessa, said her son wanted to do the run, which raises money for the Royal Children's Hospital Good Friday Appeal, in honour of a little boy who has central nuclear myopathy.
"Almost everybody knows somebody who has needed the Royal Children's Hospital, but you can't really appreciate how wonderful they are until you need them for your child," she said.
Ms Macaulay said Ben was "very excited" to be in the run. "He will probably want to run ahead of us and keep us on our toes." Entries have opened ahead of the April 17 event.
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