2024 RIDE FOR SICK KIDS RIDER & CREW PROFILES
A big thank you to all our dedicated riders and support crew for joining this year's Ride for Sick Kids. Because of you, we can help keep families close when they need it most.
ROSS BINGHAM OAM - CEO RHMC NORTHERN NSW
I love that we ride through the towns that people live in that use our Ronald McDonald Houses, Family Rooms, Family Retreat and Learning Program. The camaraderie of the team of riders and support crew is something that you don’t experience anywhere else. The money that we raise is significant and makes a huge difference to our programs and what we can do for children and their families. It forces me to stay fit through winter! I love it.
BRETT HADLEY - GIANT NEWCASTLE
I had my first race at age 9, and haven’t stopped. I enjoy racing, riding in general, and assisting new riders to understand technique and bunch craft. I keep coming back year after year knowing that we make a difference. We meet with families whose lives have been turned upside down and hear their stories first hand, how Ronald McDonald House kept them together as a family unit, helped to take a lot of the cost and stress out of a bad situation, by providing the families a home away from home! When the first Ride started 18 years ago, I had not had children at that point. I am now the father of two happy, healthy kids and the Ride has taken on another dimension.
TODD BACON - COLLABORATIVE CONSTRUCTION
SAM CASHMAN - PROJECT MANAGER - HWB
I've been cycling for 15 years and first joined the Ride for Sick Kids in 2018 at the suggestion of a friend and as my way of making a difference for families. I feel privileged to be part of the group of riders who are all passionate about making a difference for sick kids and their families. One of the greatest things about the week is meeting some of the families who need the support of RMHC Northern NSW and seeing how much it means to them to have access to it.
GREG HARDES - HARDES AND ASSOCIATES
I cant think of a better cause to support or a better way to spend a week than cycling to help sick kids and their families who need Ronald McDonald House.
DON HUDSON
I’ve been a bike rider for as long as I can remember, my mum tells the story of pushing me up and down the footpath on a tricycle all hour of the day and evening when I was just a toddler, so I was always destined to take up bike riding as a recreational pursuit as well as a sport for many years.
This will be my fourth RFSK ride having been encouraged to join by some of the other riders when I retired in 2019 and started riding a lot more than I had been whilst working.
When you hear the stories of the children and their families first hand and what they go through it only wants you to do more to support such a worthy cause and one that makes such a difference for those families that need to stay at one of the Ronald McDonald Houses whilst their child is hospitalized.
GREGORY ROSE
I've been part of the Newcastle cycling community for over 12 years as a rider, junior coach, administrator, and volunteer and have long wanted to participate in the RMHC Ride for Sick Kids. This year, in RFSK milestone 20th year, I've finally signed up!
I'm fortunate to have raised a healthy family, but I understand the challenges of major childhood illnesses and have witnessed the incredible support RMHC provides to families, so I am excited to help raise the essential funds to support their programs.
ALIX SILLS
After visiting Ronald McDonald House Newcastle with my work at Christmas time in 2022 and being touched by the stories I heard, I knew I wanted to do the Ride For Sick kids in the coming years. Working for a company that supports RMH house through their Soft Landings Foundation, I thought what better way to show more support than completing the ride. Nothing sounds better to me than doing something for a good cause, and combining it with my love for fitness.
NIGEL PERRY
I have been cycling for many years, including previous Ride For Sick Kids road rides where I enjoyed a very well organised and safe ride with some wonderful fellow cyclists and RMHC support crew. A highlight for me is meeting some of the people along the way that RMH has helped and hearing their stories. I found this very rewarding and well worth all the riders efforts of cycling over 500kms. Hopefully I can help raise some funds again this year to help some Families and kids who need our help.
DARREN TOWILL
I am excited to be riding for the second year, which is also the 20th Anniversary of Ride For Sick Kids. My family experienced first hand the great work this charity does, when my daughter Mackenzie was born with a hole in her heart.
The care and support from the services of Ronald McDonald House Charities was so supportive and helpful through the whole situation, with a positive outcome for my family.
PETE HODGSON
I am an avid cyclist and first joined the Ride for Sick Kids in 2020 as a Sponsor and also a rider over the 5 days.
I feel lucky to be a part of such a passionate group of riders, all raising much needed funds for Ronald McDonald House Charities and ultimately making a difference for sick kids and their families.
One of the highlights about RFSK is visiting the schools to talk to students about bike safety and meeting families along the way who have needed the support of Ronald McDonald House and hearing how much it means to them to have access to these services, it really helps ease the financial stress while they focus on their sick child.
BRUCE MASSON
DAVID WOODS
ROB HADLEY
IVOR THOMAS
