Carrie Bickmore’s Big 5 Marathon mission raises over $1.1 million

Carrie’s Beanies 4 Brain Cancer (CB4BC) is celebrating its biggest fundraising event to date, surpassing $1.1 million, thanks to generous donations from everyday people right around Australia.

Carrie – co-host of the Hit Network’s National Drive show with Tommy Little – and a select group of friends impacted by brain cancer took on the Big 5 Marathon in South Africa, regarded as one of the toughest courses of its kind in the world.

The Big 5 Marathon weaves its way through an African wildlife park in amongst the Big 5 animals including lions, elephants and rhinos.

The start was delayed by 30 minutes due to elephants blocking part of the course.

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People joining Carrie on the run and supporting with their own fundraising campaigns included Olivia Molly Rogers, Trent and Brooke Cotchin, Tommy Little, Ellidy Pullin, Laura Enever, Elliot Garnaut, Rotem Rotenberg, Sam Wood, Isaac Smith, Gemma O’Neill, Merrick Watts, Nedd Brockmann, Jessica and Kelly Power and The Brain Cancer Centre CEO Sam McGuane.

The $1.1m raised will go towards supporting game changing brain cancer research through The Brain Cancer Centre.

It adds to the $25 million-plus already raised by CB4BC for crucial support.

Carrie said “I’m so proud of all the team that came to Africa and did the Big 5 Marathon. It was an incredible effort not just with the run, but also with their commitment to training and amazing fundraising blew us away.”

“We all did it pretty tough in the run due to the extreme conditions, but it’s nowhere near as tough as what brain cancer patients and their families have to go through. Supporting them is what helped us all get across the finish line.”

“We’re so grateful to every single person who donated. The funds are an incredible boost for our brilliant researchers at The Brain Cancer Centre. I’d like to thank all our Team CB4BC runners and make a special shout out to our major partner La Roche Posay for getting behind us, and to PUMA for kitting us out for the run.”

Fundraising is still open and donations can be made here.

*Images supplied