I'M RAISING FUNDS FOR MADISON

The funds I raise will allow a beautiful, happy little girl called Madison, who loves life and always has a smile, to attend an injury/trauma Camp on the Sunshine coast in September. Little would one know the unimaginable trauma that hides behind Madison’s smile.  A horrific, sickening and violet stabbing attack that left Madison critically injured and fighting for her life at the age of just 5 years old.

The man responsible has since been sentenced to a maximum of nine years' jail for the crime that followed after he spotted her playing outside her home.  Her courage and inspiration is loved by all at the KIDS Foundation. We share in her recovery journey and embrace her family and friends that support her.  She loves music, putting on puppet shows and playing with her friends. 

Here's a little about the KIDS Foundation and How the Bike Ride Started

In August 2018, I'll be joining a group of people to ride from Byron Bay to Noosa, a 550km charity cycle challenge, to support the KIDS Foundation and to honor a young boy, Dalton, who changed many lives and inspired this organisation to expand its services to reach more children like Dalton. 

Dalton was a little boy who suffered from 80% burns to his body as a result of an accident as a young child. He died in 2010 after a second tragic accident, when his family were returning from a holiday and the car was hit by a surge of water. Dalton's spirit for life was infectious and he left an impact on everyone he met. He attended many KIDS Foundation Burn Survivor camps, with his family.  I became very close with Dalton when I attended camps as a teenager, his attitude to life was so inspiring given all his horrific injuries. 

The KIDS Foundation is a small but effective injury prevention and recovery charity that has been operating for almost 25 years. Next year, the charity wiill directly reach 100,000 children and families with its Seemore Safety program. It’s mission is to keep children safe and create a better life for those living with serious injury and burns.

Help me as I take on this challenge 

I have taken on this challenge to raise awareness of the KIDS Foundation amongst my friends, family and colleagues and raise funds to personally enable Madison and her family to attend Camp Phoenix on the Sunshine Coast.

FACTS about KIDS:

- 83% funds go directly to running the KIDS injury prevention and recovery programs

- Direct reach is 20,000-30,000 children each year 

- KIDS has been operating for 23 years

- KIDS' work is internationally recognised with articles featured in the Australasian Journal of Early Childhood and Asia-Pacific Journal of Research in Early Childhood Education

- KIDS has received awards for their partnerships including a Prime Ministers Award for Community and Corporate Partnerships

I hope that you will consider supporting me in this challenge and help me to raise funds. 

Kind regards

Ben O'Neill