Heroic Mum’s Charity Walk Exceeds Expectations.

Heroic RCH mum Liat Harrower and the Rotary Club of Werribee have raised over $62,000 for The Royal Children’s Hospital’s Victorian Paediatric Palliative Care Program (VPPCP).

Liat and the Rotary Club of Werribee organised the 200km and friends completed the harrowing nine-day 200km Charity Walk across regional Victoria in March. Despite injuries, soggy feet and blisters the walkers trekked from North East Victoria to Melbourne starting at Harrietville and travelling through Bright, Myrtleford, Beechworth, Bowser, Tarrawingee, Wangaratta and Parkville before finishing in Werribee.

Liat organised the 200km Charity Walk in memory of her son Mitchell who was diagnosed with a rare and incurable genetic condition at only six months old. Liat cared for Mitchell until he passed away in August 2008 at the age of seven. The walk is aimed to raise awareness and funds to help support children with life-limiting conditions and their families through the VPPCP.

Palliative care focuses on enhancing the quality of life for the child and support for the family and includes the management of distressing symptoms, provision of respite, and care through death and bereavement. Liat describes the work of the VPPCP, which provided Mitchell with care and support during his final year, as remarkable.
“If it was not for services such as those provided through the VPPCP, it would not be possible for families to spend such precious time with their child.”

In order to raise funds and reach a collective target of $40,000 each walker challenged themselves to raise over $1000. This year the group exceeded that amount as well as their own expectations by raising just over $62,000. This is the third year that the event has been held, with last year’s fundraising efforts raising $25,000.

Liat and her team presented the funds to members of the Royal Children’s Hospital Foundation at a celebratory dinner in Werribee. The next 200km Charity Walk is scheduled to be held in October 2013.