Mother’s Day Classic: Jodie Gardiner’s journey

Posted on 9 May, 2015

Donating money to a cause that matters to her has been the motivating factor behind Jodie Gardiner’s participation in the Mother’s Day Classic since it began in Canberra nine years ago.

In more recent years it has been the online support group, Running Mums Australia, that has the Canberra based mother and significant fundraiser running the event.

With two thirds of the registration fee for the event going to breast cancer research, just signing up meant Jodie could add to the growing pool of funds given each year to the National Breast Cancer Foundation.

“One of the biggest reasons I enter is to donate money. I always do when I register. Some years I fundraise, to support a wonderful cause”, says Jodie.

Since it began in 1998, Mother’s Day Classic has contributed $24.3 million to the National Breast Cancer Foundation’s research program. In that time breast cancer five year survival rates have increased  to nearly 90 per cent.

For Jodie a cure would mean her children, mother and sister would never have to suffer the disease.

“I have a close friend who survived breast cancer and I don’t want others to have to go through it. I am a mum and step mum of five (three step daughters and two boys of my own) and I don’t want my girls or my boys partners to live with breast cancer. I’m also a daughter, a sister and a wife. Enough said really,” says Jodie.

When Jodie lines up on March 10 for the start of the MDC she will be on the lookout for other members of team RMA, many of which she has has only Facebook contact and will only recognise through the matching shirts.

“Despite never meeting my other team members in person, they are the most supportive group of women I have ever been in contact with. They are inspiring and encouraging and always very helpful and supportive,’ says Jodie.

A single post on the local RMA Facebook page can elicit an almost immediate response from 20-30 fellow RMA members.

“I usually do the five kilometre distance, one year I did the 10km but limped the last seven kilometres of it as I injured both my knees. This year I am aiming to run the whole 10km which will be very challenging for me. I’m slow but I’ll give it a go,” says Jodie.

According to Mother’s Day Classic National Chair, Louise Davidson, people participate for different reasons: some to honour loved ones lost to breast cancer, others to mark their survival – and a growing number who enjoy the event’s family atmosphere and participate to reach their own health and fitness goals.

“It doesn’t matter how you walk or run, or even how fast, it just matters why,” says Louise.

She says that while anyone attending a Mother’s Day Classic will see festive dress-ups and an abundance of pink, this doesn’t change the serious undertone of why the event exists in the first place.

“For every pink wig and tutu out on the course, there will be participants wearing tribute cards to honour loved ones living with breast cancer and remember those  lost to the disease. We try to make Mother’s Day Classic a fun and memorable day out, but we never lose sight of our purpose,” says Louise.

“Money raised supports research into new treatments, diagnostic techniques and of course the end goal of finding a cure. The more we raise, the faster a cure can be found,” she says.

To register or fundraise go to www.mothersdayclassic.com.au.