Tour De Cure VIC Discovery Tour 2024

• Tour de Cure is a not-for-profit, cancer agnostic organisation, raising funds to support cancer research, support and prevention projects in Australia.
• The Tour has a fundraising goal of $500,000, which will go to Olivia Newton John Cancer Research Institute, as well as to Tour de Cure’s general funding pool.
• Tour de Cure’s 2024 VIC Discovery Tour is coming to Victoria, travelling from Halls Gap to Melbourne, Sunday 17 to Wednesday 20 November 2024.
• The Tour will include multiple Pelotons (groups) of road cyclists as well as support crew, vehicles, volunteers and Tour de Cure staff, totalling more than 120 people

More than 100 riders will participate in Tour de Cure’s (TDC’s) VIC Discovery Tour 2024, which will travel from Halls Gap to Melbourne, via Ararat and Ballarat. The Tour aims to raise $500,000 for cancer research and support projects.

The Tour starts in Halls Gap on Sunday 17 November. The team will ride 380 kms over three days and finish in Melbourne on Wednesday the 20th of November.

• Sunday 17th November, start in Halls Gap (Day 0/ arrival to start)
• Monday 18th November, touring Halls Gap to Ararat (Day 1)
• Tuesday 19th November, touring Ararat to Ballarat (Day 2)
• Wednesday 20th November, touring Ballarat to Melbourne (Day 3/ finale)

Funds raised from the VIC Discovery Tour will go to cancer research projects at the ONJCRI as well contribute to Tour de Cure’s general research and support grants.

Professor Marco Herold, speaks on the impact of cancer research funding:

“The mission of the Olivia Newton-John Cancer Research Institute is to discover and develop breakthrough cancer therapies that do not diminish the quality of life, provide the best long-term health outcomes for patients and are accessible to anyone, no matter where they live.”

“Our researchers work metres from where patients receive treatment, allowing us to fast-track scientific discoveries into new therapies. Observations from the clinic can be immediately investigated, creating a continual cycle of learning and improvement between research and patient care.”

“The Vic Discovery Tour research funding is critical, providing essential resources for innovative projects and long-term studies. It is the spark that ignites the flame, and we are thankful that it can assist in propelling us forward on our mission”, said Professor Herold.

Dr Lisa Mielke, highlights the significant impact of the Tour’s funding on developing new immunotherapies for bowel cancer.

“Tour de Cure’s funding has been instrumental in advancing our research. Specifically, the funds from VIC Discovery Tour have enabled us to investigate the function of specialised immune cells in bowel cancer.”

“When cancer cells from the large bowel spread, they often lodge in the liver, a process called metastasis. Immune cells can recognise and eliminate cancer, but their function varies by organ. We’ve identified differences in immune systems of the bowel and liver, leading to the discovery of molecules that control immune cell function. We’re now exploring ways to target these molecules to develop safer, more effective immunotherapies for bowel cancer and metastasis.”

“I am deeply thankful to all participants, volunteers, and donors. Their collective effort and dedication are essential in our efforts to overcome cancer”, said Dr Mielke.

Tour de Cure will also award local grants to cancer services in Ararat and Ballarat, to help support those affected by cancer in these regions. Access to cancer treatment for people living in rural communities can be limited or hard to access, so these grants have high impact.

In Ararat on Monday 18th November, a $10,000 grant will be presented to East Grampians Health Service (EGHS)’s Oncology Unit for the purchase items to increase patients’ comfort during treatment, which is often several hours at a time. This includes a new treatment chair, new furnishings and a coffee machine.

In Ballarat on Tuesday 19 November, a $10,000 grant will be presented to Ballarat Regional Integrated Cancer Centre (BRICC) for their Wellness Centre which is a home-like environment for rest and comfort, as well as offering supportive care programs for people with cancer such as oncology massage, shiatsu, tai chi, meditation, yoga, acupuncture, diet and exercise advice, financial advice and a wig library, to name a few.

TDC 2023 at Jamieson Primary School

The Tour will continue to share Tour de Cure’s cancer prevention message of ‘Be Fit, Be Healthy, Be Happy’ with staff and children in four schools in regional Victoria, including Willaura Primary, Moyston Primary, Beaufort Primary and Haddon Primary. Tour participants will engage in a fun session with the children and expand on these three key cancer prevention ideas.

VIC Discovery Tour is one of Tour de Cure’s annual cycle events and each year has a new route. Riders train for a minimum of 16 weeks prior to the Tour, focussing on fitness and Peloton riding skills, and along with support crew members, have minimum fundraising targets to meet. The Tour is supported with logistics, medical, bike maintenance and catering personnel. Safety of all people on Tour is always the number one focus of Tour de Cure.

Tour de Cure respectfully requests that motorists and residents are patient as riders and vehicles pass through. These dedicated individuals have trained hard and are riding to fund critical cancer support projects in your community and Australia. Tour de Cure’s traffic management protocols have been praised by NSW Police, ensuring minimal disruption during Tour.