Australia’s beloved national fun run and walk, the Mother’s Day Classic (MDC), is primed for another record-breaking year, with organisers announcing a renewed commitment to funding research to reduce deaths and improve survival for breast and ovarian cancer.
Launching the 2025 Classic, Mother’s Day Classic Foundation (MDCF) chief executive Zara Lawless welcomed new principal partner, AIA Australia, and an upswing in early event registrations, particularly in regional areas, which points to more than 90 locations hosting runs/walks nationally on Sunday, May 11.
Last Mother’s Day, more than 85,000 Australians gathered for the Classic in 75 locations nationally.
Those numbers are on track to be exceeded in 2025 with early registrations at record levels.
Ms Lawless said the 28th Mother’s Day Classic, founded by Women in Super, will build on the relationship with the Ovarian Cancer Research Foundation (OCRF), which joined longstanding beneficiary National Breast Cancer Foundation (NBCF) as part of an extended MDC family in 2024.
“The strength of togetherness was on full display last year, as the Mother’s Day Classic celebrated the addition of the Ovarian Cancer Research Foundation while retaining our commitment to the National Breast Cancer Foundation – with incredible lifesaving results,” Ms Lawless said.
“Events like the Mother’s Day Classic and the public support of medical research have facilitated a significant improvement in survival rates for more than 21,000 Australians diagnosed each year with breast cancer.
“The MDC community has shown that it can and wants to strive for more, to also improve the outcomes for women with ovarian cancer, a disease for which there is still no early detection test.”
In 2024, the fundraising total of $3.3 million represented a jump of 30 per cent on the previous year and was the biggest in a decade. Mother’s Day Classic participants were given the choice to fundraise for breast cancer research, ovarian cancer research, or both.
“We believe this marks a crucial milestone in transforming the landscape of ovarian cancer research — driving increased funding, improving survival rates, and raising vital awareness within the community about the importance of research.’’
Every day in Australia 63 people are diagnosed with breast or ovarian cancer. Every day 12 people die from those two diseases. The MDC provides not only the hope that the day will come when no more lives will be taken, but the means to help fast-track that outcome.
The MDC is the largest donor to NBCF, having donated more than $46.1 million over the past 27 years, contributing around 20% of NBCF’s total research grant funding throughout that period. In that time the death rate from breast cancer in Australia has reduced by 35%.
Associate Professor Cleola Anderiesz, National Breast Cancer Foundation CEO, said: “We eagerly look forward to the 2025 Mother’s Day Classic and the potential breakthroughs in breast cancer and ovarian cancer research that will be made possible through the generous funds raised from this event.”
“Together we can make our shared vision of Zero Deaths from breast cancer possible.”
Registrations are now open for the 28th Mother’s Day Classic at mothersdayclassic.com.au.
Register Online: www.mothersdayclassic.com.au/registration
