Annah, Ellie and Anna are no strangers to hard work. The three devoted women are shift-workers in the mines near Orange, NSW and now, they’ve set their sights on a new mission – to help give all sick kids the running start they deserve at this year’s City2Surf.

In early May, when Annah called on Ellie and Anna to join Team SCHF for City2Surf during a 12-hour shift, her two friends jumped at the chance to help raise vital funds for sick and injured kids across NSW. That day, Team Lion was established, and in just two weeks, they exceeded their target and have since raised an impressive $4,712 and counting. They’re currently on top of the Team SCHF leaderboard!

The infamous trio credits their early success to humor, bravery and one very smart fundraising idea – to collect and deposit plastic bottles and cans at their local Return & Earn vending machine.

What started off as a few bags packed to the brim, has now evolved far beyond their expectations. Team Lion’s colleagues at Cadia Valley Operations have all jumped on board and started collecting cans too!

“Initially, our team at work started collecting a few cans in a special recycling bin. But now, the word has spread and another department has collected over 5000 cans for us to recycle. It’s just incredible,”  says Annah

For Annah , the fundraiser is personal. In late 2019, her son Leo was treated at The Children’s Hospital at Westmead for a laryngeal cleft – a rare condition caused by an abnormal gap between a child’s voice box (their larynx) and their esophagus. This causes food and liquid to pass into a child’s lungs instead of their tummy.

Annah recalls, “Being a rural patient, we spent a lot of time traveling back and forth to Sydney for multiple surgeries with long stays in between.

After doctors repaired Leo’s cleft, he was placed into a coma and arrested multiple times while in the PICU. Watching the staff revive him in front of us was the most terrifying thing to watch. We owe our son’s life to the medical team at Westmead.”

Now, three years old, Leo is a healthy toddler who enjoys laying down in the sun while cloud watching with his twin sister by his side. His courage is the inspiration behind the team’s name, “Lion” which means bravery.

To help more rural families access the best possible care, now and into the future, join Team SCHF this City2Surf. Your support will make every step count for sick kids like Leo.

Register today.